Newsday Crossword hints and answers for December 21, 2025
A hint and the answer for every clue, each behind its own button. Nothing is revealed until you tap.
Clues142
Across73
Down69
TitleTINSEL TIME: 'Tis the season to 108-Across
Today’s Newsday Crossword clues, hints & answers
Every clue from this puzzle with a hint and the answer behind separate buttons, so you only see what you need. Click a clue for its own page.
Across
•
Minor anomaly (4)
Starts with B, ends with PBLIP→
•
Out-of-focus photo (4)
Starts with B, ends with RBLUR→
•
Botanical anchors (5)
Starts with R, ends with SROOTS→
•
Out of bed (5)
Starts with A, ends with RASTIR→
•
Nevada resort (4)
Starts with R, ends with ORENO→
•
Ill-at-__ (edgy) (4)
Starts with E, ends with EEASE→
•
It's west of Montana (5)
Starts with I, ends with OIDAHO→
•
Rueful emotion (5)
Starts with S, ends with ESHAME→
•
Former Bay Area American Leaguers (H) (9)
Starts with O, ends with SOAKLANDAS→
•
College club jewelry (E) (11)
Starts with S, ends with NSORORITYPIN→
•
450, for Nero (3)
Starts with C, ends with LCDL→
•
HMO members (3)
Starts with M, ends with SMDS→
•
Ark groups (5)
Starts with P, ends with SPAIRS→
•
Budgetary bigwig, for short (3)
Starts with C, ends with OCFO→
•
Canonized femme: Abbr. (3)
Starts with S, ends with ESTE→
•
Stage whispers (6)
Starts with A, ends with SASIDES→
•
+ and - (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSIGNS→
•
Prom attendee (4)
Starts with T, ends with NTEEN→
•
Hem and __ (3)
Starts with H, ends with WHAW→
•
Eats elegantly (5)
Starts with D, ends with SDINES→
•
Kerri of Olympics gymnastic fame (5)
Starts with S, ends with GSTRUG→
•
Reduce, as expenses (4)
Starts with P, ends with EPARE→
•
Slightest trace (4)
Starts with I, ends with AIOTA→
•
Certain pod legume (R) (10)
Starts with E, ends with AENGLISHPEA→
•
Train to O'Hare (M) (10)
Starts with B, ends with LBLUELINEEL→
•
Sweet winter drinks (6)
Starts with C, ends with SCOCOAS→
•
Fannie __ mortgages (3)
Starts with M, ends with EMAE→
•
Aussie hoppers (4)
Starts with R, ends with SROOS→
•
Discard (8)
Starts with T, ends with TTHROWOUT→
•
Mideast rice serving (5)
Starts with P, ends with FPILAF→
•
Prepares, as pizza dough (6)
Starts with K, ends with SKNEADS→
•
Wide footwear letters (3)
Starts with E, ends with EEEE→
•
ABA member (3)
Starts with A, ends with TATT→
•
Largely gone Asian lake (7)
Starts with A, ends with AARALSEA→
•
Sharply sloped (5)
Starts with S, ends with PSTEEP→
•
Grandma (4)
Starts with N, ends with ANANA→
•
Greet another Marine (G or R) (11)
Starts with S, ends with ISAYSEMPERFI→
•
Prairie storehouse (4)
Starts with S, ends with OSILO→
•
Locket shapes (5)
Starts with O, ends with SOVALS→
•
More filled with fluffy feathers (7)
Starts with T, ends with RTUFTIER→
•
Color TV pioneer (3)
Starts with R, ends with ARCA→
•
Frequently, poetically (3)
Starts with O, ends with TOFT→
•
Pleasant change (6)
Starts with R, ends with FRELIEF→
•
Streetcar director (5)
Starts with K, ends with NKAZAN→
•
What domed stadiums prevent (8)
Starts with R, ends with SRAINOUTS→
•
Ominous (4)
Starts with G, ends with MGRIM→
•
__ Faire (role-playing event) (3)
Starts with R, ends with NREN→
•
Belittle (6)
Starts with D, ends with NDEMEAN→
•
Appeal for assistance (M) (10)
Starts with C, ends with LCMONBEAPAL→
•
Eminent LBJ biographer (B) (10)
Starts with R, ends with OROBERTCARO→
•
Stage show-offs (4)
Starts with H, ends with SHAMS→
•
Box tops (4)
Starts with L, ends with SLIDS→
•
Cum grano __ (with a grain of you-know-what) (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSALIS→
•
All too fallible (5)
Starts with H, ends with NHUMAN→
•
NFL West team (3)
Starts with A, ends with IARI→
•
Novelist Buchanan (4)
Starts with E, ends with AEDNA→
•
Michelangelo subject (5)
Starts with D, ends with DDAVID→
•
Moving movie (6)
Starts with W, ends with EWEEPIE→
•
DMV ID (3)
Starts with L, ends with CLIC→
•
Neighbor of Homer (3)
Starts with N, ends with DNED→
•
Big-eyed baby bird (5)
Starts with O, ends with TOWLET→
•
63-Across' daughter (3)
Starts with M, ends with MMOM→
•
PC "quit" key (3)
Starts with E, ends with CESC→
•
Breakfast beverage (K) (11)
Starts with E, ends with AEARLGREYTEA→
•
What the last words of eight long Across answers all do (9)
Starts with T, ends with ETRIMATREE→
•
Type of govt. bond (5)
Starts with T, ends with ETNOTE→
•
Made mention of (5)
Starts with C, ends with DCITED→
•
Reminiscent of (4)
Starts with L, ends with ELIKE→
•
Alpine capital (4)
Starts with B, ends with NBERN→
•
CD issuer (5)
Starts with S, ends with LSANDL→
•
Dresser features (5)
Starts with K, ends with SKNOBS→
•
Blissful place (4)
Starts with E, ends with NEDEN→
•
Admin. __ (4)
Starts with A, ends with TASST→
Down
•
Drapery fabric (7)
Starts with B, ends with EBROCADE→
•
Ushers to a seat (7)
Starts with L, ends with NLEADSIN→
•
Slightest idea (7)
Starts with I, ends with GINKLING→
•
Office seeker, for short (3)
Starts with P, ends with LPOL→
•
"Deep knee" exercises (5)
Starts with B, ends with SBENDS→
•
Little boys (4)
Starts with L, ends with SLADS→
•
Most populous NATO member (3)
Starts with U, ends with AUSA→
•
Inhales and exhales (8)
Starts with R, ends with SRESPIRES→
•
On the increase (6)
Starts with R, ends with GRISING→
•
Nasal stimuli (5)
Starts with O, ends with SODORS→
•
Canoe implements (4)
Starts with O, ends with SOARS→
•
Even if, in verse (3)
Starts with T, ends with OTHO→
•
Wizard (8)
Starts with S, ends with RSORCERER→
•
__ Martin (British auto) (5)
Starts with A, ends with NASTON→
•
Footwear that clicks (7)
Starts with T, ends with ETAPSHOE→
•
Take after (7)
Starts with I, ends with EIMITATE→
•
Contract extension (7)
Starts with R, ends with LRENEWAL→
•
It's north of Des Moines (8)
Starts with A, ends with AAMESIOWA→
•
"Doing all right" (7)
Starts with I, ends with KIFEELOK→
•
Spanish water (4)
Starts with A, ends with AAGUA→
•
AC__ (car parts brand) (5)
Starts with D, ends with ODELCO→
•
Mid-March VIP (5)
Starts with S, ends with TSTPAT→
•
Letter after sigma (3)
Starts with T, ends with UTAU→
•
Scold loudly (7)
Starts with S, ends with TSHOUTAT→
•
Likable person (7)
Starts with P, ends with RPLEASER→
•
Maps within maps (6)
Starts with I, ends with SINSETS→
•
Traditional bagpipers (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSCOTS→
•
Quill descendant (7)
Starts with B, ends with NBALLPEN→
•
Atoms with charges (4)
Starts with I, ends with SIONS→
•
Southeast Florida citizen (7)
Starts with M, ends with NMIAMIAN→
•
Choir guy (5)
Starts with T, ends with RTENOR→
•
Hurl hard (5)
Starts with H, ends with EHEAVE→
•
Of kidneys (5)
Starts with R, ends with LRENAL→
•
Knotty nosh (7)
Starts with P, ends with LPRETZEL→
•
Iron: Fr. (3)
Starts with F, ends with RFER→
•
Vowel sequence (5)
Starts with A, ends with UAEIOU→
•
Dutch pottery (5)
Starts with D, ends with TDELFT→
•
Glimpses (5)
Starts with S, ends with SSPOTS→
•
Not beyond (7)
Starts with A, ends with SASFARAS→
•
Triangular houses (7)
Starts with A, ends with SAFRAMES→
•
Makes straight (6)
Starts with A, ends with SALIGNS→
•
Loud laugh (3)
Starts with Y, ends with KYUK→
•
More frosty (5)
Starts with I, ends with RICIER→
•
Eastern European (4)
Starts with S, ends with BSERB→
•
Detested thing (8)
Starts with A, ends with AANATHEMA→
•
Shortstop, for instance (7)
Starts with F, ends with RFIELDER→
•
Persist at an auction (5)
Starts with R, ends with DREBID→
•
Perfectly timed (5)
Starts with O, ends with EONCUE→
•
Cruise ship's primary level (8)
Starts with M, ends with KMAINDECK→
•
Fictional physician with furry friends (8)
Starts with D, ends with EDOLITTLE→
•
Alpine abodes (7)
Starts with C, ends with SCHALETS→
•
__ Islands (where Guam is) (7)
Starts with M, ends with AMARIANA→
•
Pi preceder (7)
Starts with O, ends with NOMICRON→
•
Smartphone ancestor (3)
Starts with P, ends with APDA→
•
High praise (4)
Starts with R, ends with ERAVE→
•
Current measures (7)
Starts with A, ends with SAMPERES→
•
Bold poker participants (7)
Starts with R, ends with SRAISERS→
•
Penny phrase (7)
Starts with O, ends with TONECENT→
•
Tossed dishes (6)
Starts with S, ends with SSALADS→
•
German winged being (5)
Starts with E, ends with LENGEL→
•
Inept person (5)
Starts with D, ends with BDWEEB→
•
Alcott title characters (5)
Starts with W, ends with NWOMEN→
•
Comics bulldog (4)
Starts with O, ends with OOTTO→
•
Recording device (4)
Starts with M, ends with EMIKE→
•
Inc. cousin (3)
Starts with L, ends with DLTD→
•
Yang's partner (3)
Starts with Y, ends with NYIN→
•
Disposed (of) (3)
Starts with R, ends with DRID→
•
Sched. placeholder (3)
Starts with T, ends with ATBA→
How to solve the Newsday Crossword
Fill the 15x15 grid so every Across and Down answer matches its clue. The title at the top hints at the theme. Our answer pages list every clue in order with its answer behind a reveal button, and link to a page for each individual clue.
Want the full method? Read our Newsday Crossword strategy and tips, or check how to play the Newsday Crossword on the hub.
Newsday Crossword tips for tomorrow
- Use the title. Newsday puzzles are titled, and the title nearly always explains the theme entries.
- Know the pseudonyms. Puzzles by "Lester Ruff" are easier; "Anna Stiga" is Stan again, backwards, and tougher.
- Expect the Stumper to be brutal. Saturday clues are deliberately vague. Fill short words first and let crossings carry you.
Done for today? Try LA Times Crossword, NYT Crossword, USA Today Crossword, all with hints first and answers behind a reveal.
Previous Newsday Crossword puzzles
Newsday Crossword FAQ
How many clues are in the Newsday Crossword for December 21, 2025?+
142 clues: 73 Across and 69 Down. The puzzle was constructed by S.N..
What are some answers in today’s Newsday Crossword?+
For example: Minor anomaly (BLIP); Out-of-focus photo (BLUR); Botanical anchors (ROOTS).
Who makes the Newsday Crossword?+
It is edited by Stan Newman, who also constructs many of the puzzles under pseudonyms.
Where can I find past Newsday Crossword answers?+
Every puzzle in our archive has its own page with all answers and a page per clue.
