NYT Crossword December 26, 2025 Answers

Across

1A Dawdler 8 9A Cuts short 6 15A Typical sight in a bank robbery cartoon 8 16A Kitsch 6 17A Doing some theater work 8 18A Cracked wheat used in tabbouleh 6 19A One whose beauty is on the inside 5 20A Whole kit and caboodle 5 22A ___-Latin (like some modern coinages) 3 23A Plant that's toxic to cats 4 24A Some babysitters 5 25A A cold one is unexpected (and usually unappreciated) 4 26A Since Jan. 1, on a pay stub 3 27A Tuesday, in French 5 28A Song commonly performed outdoors 5 29A Food that can be prepared de canasta 5 30A ___ Tuesday (end of the pre-Lenten season) 6 31A One toeing the line? 15 35A Individually 6 36A Editorialize 5 37A Overly self-assertive 5 38A Like a good sponge cake 5 39A Down Under bird that scientists are working to "de-extinct" 3 42A Singular, with or without its first letter 4 43A Origin story family in DC Comics 5 44A Facility 4 45A Certain care provider, for short 3 46A Re-fresh? 5 47A It might be marked with an X 5 48A Linked (with) 6 50A Drive 8 52A Harden and become resistant to change 6 53A Life partner, perhaps? 8 54A Old coin with a picture of Generalissimo Franco 6 55A Treated with respect 8

Down

1D How a supervillain might brag 6 2D Flip 6 3D Waiting for support, maybe 6 4D Like untended plots 5 5D Funeral ___ 4 6D Broad band? 3 7D Royal Australian Air Force insignia 8 8D Competition that combines speed with balance 15 9D Professor Dumbledore 5 10D Contest 4 11D Bevy : quail :: parliament : ___ 3 12D The world's end, in Norse mythology 8 13D Mr. or Ms. Right 8 14D Baby sitter? 8 21D Half of a classic rum cocktail's name 3 24D Component of a nautilus shell 5 25D Eric who wrote and illustrated "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me" 5 27D Stick by a fireplace 5 28D Mantra 5 29D Nearby things 5 30D Like the pope's guards 5 31D Area on which to eat or play cards 8 32D "You can absolutely count on me" 8 33D Figure in sci-fi's "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," e.g. 8 34D Great illustrations 8 38D Connected 3 39D Sister of Moses 6 40D Worth considering 6 41D Made up 6 43D Nation dubbed the "cradle of mankind" 5 44D "Understood?" 5 46D Big break 4 47D Stack (up) 4 49D Casting need 3 51D Short diner order 3