NYT Crossword December 16, 2025 Answers

Across

1A Library acquisition 4 5A Insta and Snap 4 9A Start 5 14A Roughly equivalent (to) 4 15A Homie 4 16A Maine-to-Florida hwy. 5 17A What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard 4 18A Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps 10 20A Hockey feints 5 22A Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe 5 23A Prefix with cache or tag 3 24A Person in hot pants? 4 26A Name on a prestigious award 5 28A It may be blond or pale 3 31A Disgusting 5 33A C-suite types 5 36A Last stop before security, often 8 38A Words of communal support 6 39A Texter's "Then again …" 4 40A Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film 5 42A Orchestra-tuning instrument 4 43A Negligent 6 45A Turnabout, they say 8 47A Tiny amount 5 48A Pay taxes via the internet 5 49A Air traveler's info 3 50A Drinks served at fountains 5 52A Govt. IDs 4 54A Down Under land: Abbr. 3 56A Computer acronym since the 1960s 5 58A Inventor Nikola 5 62A The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one 10 65A Couple, in gossip 4 66A "Aw, shucks!" 5 67A Decorative pitcher 4 68A Wacky 4 69A Lords' lands 5 70A Tells (on) 4 71A After 1-Across, shelf accessories … or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases? 4

Down

1D Genesis or Yes 4 2D Many a character in "The Grapes of Wrath" 4 3D Barnyard sound 4 4D Prepare to be knighted 5 5D Epitome of simplicity 3 6D Genre for Genesis or Yes, informally 8 7D Lead (the way) 4 8D Glossy finishes 6 9D Active and enthusiastic sort 7 10D Approx. 3 11D Easily found on the internet, say 10 12D Memo heading 4 13D Grammy-winning R&B artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matrix" 4 19D Golden Age studio known for many Astaire/Rogers films 3 21D You might heave a big one 4 25D Places 5 27D Mike in "Breaking Bad," for example 5 28D Cancel, as a space launch 5 29D Procrastinator's mantra 5 30D What someone seeking validation might need 10 32D Shallow boat with a square stern 5 34D Neighbor of a Slovene 5 35D "Take it easy!" 5 37D Brother to Groucho 5 38D Mournful cries 5 41D One in a box at the theater? 8 44D Tranquilizes 7 46D Penalty in Monopoly 4 48D Artist known for his "impossible staircases" 6 51D Symbol of divine authority in hieroglyphics 3 53D Grab control of 5 54D Words before a date 4 55D Tentative greeting 4 57D The Hawkeye State 4 59D Show extreme fandom for, in slang 4 60D Give temporarily 4 61D Ryan and Adams of Hollywood 4 63D Whistle blower or flag thrower 3 64D Hosp. hot spots 3