Day: September 25, 2025

0925-25 NY Times Crossword 25 Sep 25, Thursday

Constructed by: Jesse Goldberg
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Reveal Answer: First Two Letters

For down-answers to make sense, we note that the FIRST TWO LETTERS have been SKIMMED OFF THE TOP in the grid, and that they are identical to the FIRST TWO LETTERS of the corresponding clues:

  • 20A Illegally siphon funds : SKIM OFF THE TOP
  • 52A What each Down answer needs from its clue in order to make sense : FIRST TWO LETTERS

Bill’s time: 11m 50s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Apologies for my absence over the past few days. I am travelling in Europe, somewhat unexpectedly. I will be doing my best to keep up with puzzles and posts, but might “go missing” occasionally until I get back home to California.

Again, apologies, and thank you for your understanding.

Bill

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1A Onetime capital of the Mughal Empire : AGRA
5A Dad on “Family Guy” : PETER
10A Word after long or before paper : TERM
14A Film unit : REEL
15A “Pardon me,” in Padua : SCUSI
16A Home of Minor League Baseball’s SeaWolves (more than 350 miles from the ocean!) : ERIE
17A Airline known for tight security : EL AL
18A Continental products : TIRES
19A Disney character who asks “Have you ever met a shark?” : NEMO
20A Illegally siphon funds : SKIM OFF THE TOP
23A Grand Ole ___ : OPRY
24A Subj. studied with the help of telescopes : SETI
25A Property owner subject to a legal claim : LIENEE
28A Law derived from the Quran : SHARIA
32A “Not interested” : I PASS
33A Snitch : RAT
36A Savanna antelope : ELAND
37A Common street name : ELM
38A Quivers : TREMORS
41A Android alternative : IOS
42A Some necklines : VEES
44A “I’m here to help” : USE ME
45A Look greedily : OGLE
46A Livestock identifiers : EARTAGS
48A Bit of fraternity party headgear : BEER HAT
50A Actress Garr : TERI
51A Final stroke of most rounds : PUTT
52A What each Down answer needs from its clue in order to make sense : FIRST TWO LETTERS
59A Big name in laptops : ASUS
60A Only president not born in the continental U.S. : OBAMA
61A “I’ll handle that!” : ON IT!
62A Beginning of every Washington State ZIP code : NINE
63A Steakhouse choice : FILET
64A Like John Lennon on a 1981 Rolling Stone cover : NUDE
65A Disapproving sounds : TSKS
66A Celebratory events : FESTS
67A Tore : SPED

Down

1D Blast loudly : BLARE
2D Anaheim ballplayers : ANGELS
3D String of wins or losses : STREAK
4D Studs : STALLIONS
5D Apple shop : APP STORE
6D Spell out : SPECIFY
7D Replace the sod of : RETURF
8D Programs in advance : PRESETS
9D Pastors’ concerns : PARISHES
10D Possibility : POTENTIAL
11D Standard music equipment : STEREO
12D Scratch and save : SCRIMP
13D Carved part of a piece of jewelry : CAMEO
21D Terrible storm : TEMPEST
22D Sees red : SEETHES
25D Replace on the mound : RELIEVE
26D Traveler’s aid, familiarly : TRIPLE A
27D Storage item on some ocean voyages : STEAMER TRUNK
29D Stop slouching : STRAIGHTEN UP
30D Shoe polish brand : SHINOLA
31D Determined : DEAD SET
33D Strain’s partner : STRESS
34D Freeze-___ : FRAME
35D Enter into a plot? : ENTOMB
39D Show that you think something isn’t important : SHRUG IT OFF
40D The Chicago Bulls had a pair of them in the 1990s : THREE-PEATS
43D Hors d’oeuvre servers, maybe : HOSTESSES
45D Shipping weight units : SHORT TONS
47D Stop’s opposite : START
49D Alaska native : ALEUT
52D Incubator occupant in a neonatal unit : INFANT
53D Crucial difficulty to get through : CRISIS
54D Neophyte : NEWBIE
55D Shipwreck locales, often : SHOALS
56D Headgear for a bicyclist : HELMET
57D Step with confidence : STRIDE
58D Beat in competition : BESTED