Our guide to the NYT Crossword answers for December 21, 2024, is here to assist you in solving today’s puzzle if you find yourself stuck on a clue. The NYT Crossword is a daily puzzle that challenges solvers’ knowledge and vocabulary. Renowned for its tough clues and clever wordplay, it’s one of the most popular crosswords worldwide. It’s available both in the print edition of The New York Times and online.
NYT Crossword Answers for December 21, 2024
If you need help with the NYT Crossword on December 21, 2024, we’ve listed all the clues below to help you find the answers you need. You can search for a specific clue and select the answer, so if you’re only looking for a few solutions, you won’t spoil any others you’re working on!
1A: Shifty little sucker? NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Sucker (noun)
- A person who is naive and easily exploited
- Lollipop
Answer:
Hint 2: Shifty (adjective)
- Shifting position or direction
- Marked by dishonesty or trickery; elusive
11A: C.D., e.g.: Abbr. NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) This abbreviation is commonly used to refer to financial records or a detailed list of transactions.
Type.
Answer:
15A: Madrid’s Teatro Real, for one NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Madrid (noun) The capital and largest city located in the heart of Spain, known for its exceptional art museum.
Answer:
Hint 2: Real (adjective) Representing or embodying the true or fundamental nature of something.
16A: Character who says “I am short, fat and proud of that” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Character (noun)
- A formal endorsement from a previous employer to a prospective employer, outlining the individual’s qualifications and reliability.
- A person of a particular type, often with numerous quirks.
Answer:
Hint 2: Character (verb) Carve or etch letters or symbols onto.
17A: The “King of Mambo” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: King (noun)
- A male monarch; the ruler of a kingdom.
- A contender who occupies a leading position.
Answer:
Hint 2: Mambo (noun) A Latin American dance with a rhythm similar to the rumba.
18A: Austrian composer Mahler NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Mahler (noun) An Austrian composer and conductor (1860–1911).
Answer:
Hint 2: Austrian (noun) A person from Austria or who resides there.
19A: No longer waffle NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb) Choose one option instead of the other.
Answer:
Hint 2: Longer (noun) A person with a deep craving for something.
20A: Pill alternatives, in brief NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Brief (noun)
- A document outlining the facts and legal points of a client’s case.
- A concise written summary or abstract.
Answer:
Hint 2: Brief (adjective)
- (Of clothing) extremely brief.
- Clear and to the point.
22A: Returner’s call NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb)
- Grant the use or occupation under a contractual term.
- Enable something to occur through a particular action or omission.
Answer:
Hint 2: (noun) A serve that hits the net before landing in the receiver’s court; the serve must be repeated.
23A: À la king? NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: King (noun)
- A male monarch; the ruler of a kingdom.
- A competitor who holds a leading position.
Answer:
26A: Reason for foot-tapping NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Tapping (noun) The sound of a gentle blow or knock.
Answer:
Hint 2: Reason (verb)
- Present reasons and arguments.
- Decide through reasoning and reach a conclusion.
28A: Lines in bars NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Bars (noun) A gymnastic apparatus made up of two parallel wooden bars supported by uprights.
Answer:
Hint 2: Anagram – Rearrange the letters below to solve today’s answer:
SLUR
29A: Confirmation, for one NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun)
- Any traditional practice or observance.
- A ritual ceremony defined by a religion.
Answer:
Hint 2: Confirmation (noun)
- Making something valid by officially approving or confirming it.
- Additional evidence supporting the correctness of a previously believed fact, hypothesis, or theory.
30A: Mount ___, Canada’s highest peak NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A mountain summit in the St. Elias Range, located in the southwestern Yukon Territory of Canada, standing at 19,850 feet.
Answer:
Hint 2: Mount (noun)
- A landmass that rises significantly above its surroundings, higher than a hill.
- The act of ascending something.
31A: Certain tech exec NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A coalition of North American industrial unions that combined with the American Federation of Labor in 1955.
Answer:
Hint 2: Certain (adjective)
- Without doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured.
- Guaranteed to happen; destined or unavoidable.
32A: Chinese dog breed, for short NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A Chinese breed of small, short-legged dogs with a long, silky coat and a broad, flat muzzle.
Answer:
Hint 2: Chinese (adjective) Relating to, characteristic of, or associated with the island republic of Taiwan, its residents, or their language.
33A: All the greater NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: All (adverb) To a full degree or to the complete extent (with “whole” often used informally in place of “wholly”).
Answer:
Hint 2: All (adjective)
- Completely focused on or absorbed by.
- (As a quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the entire number, amount, or every one of a class.
34A: Alabama is in it, but Alaska is not NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Alabama (noun)
- A river in Alabama created by the merging of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers near Montgomery, flowing southwestward to join the Mobile River.
- A state in the southeastern United States bordering the Gulf of Mexico, and one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War
Answer:
Hint 2: Alaska (noun) A state in northwestern North America, it was the 49th state to join the union.
37A: Adds to the code, say NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Code (noun)
- A collection of rules, principles, or laws (particularly written ones).
- In computer science, the structured organisation of data or instructions in a programme, or the set of such instructions.
Answer:
Hint 2: Code (verb)
- Translate plain language into code.
- Associate a code with it.
38A: Stake NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun)
- A fund of money allocated for a specific purpose.
- A financial entity that offers shares to individuals and invests in securities issued by other companies.
Answer:
Hint 2: (verb)
- Build up a reserve to cover a recurring obligation.
- Transform short-term variable debt into long-term debt with fixed interest, represented by bonds.
39A: Apt name for a thief NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb)
- Charge an exorbitant price.
- Seize something by force or without the owner’s permission.
Answer:
Hint 2: Thief (noun) A criminal who takes someone else’s property with the intention of keeping it or selling it.
40A: “The Hate U Give” author Thomas NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Author (noun)
- A person who originates, causes, or initiates something.
- A professional writer who creates books, stories, articles, or similar content for pay.
Answer:
Hint 2: Author (verb) Be the author of.
41A: First name in country NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Country (noun)
- The land controlled by a nation.
- A politically structured group of people governed by a single authority.
Answer:
Hint 2: Name (verb)
- Assign a specific (usually proper) name to.
- Create or provide a list of names; name individually.
42A: Rooney of “Women Talking” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun)
- A hare-like rodent native to the Pampas of Argentina.
- The Hindu god of death, the counterpart of Kama.
Answer:
Hint 2: Talking (noun) A conversation for the exchange of ideas.
43A: Most of the 1980s NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: 1980s (noun) The decade between 1980 to 1989.
Answer:
Hint 2: Most (adverb)
- (Specific to actions or states) almost completed or just short of being achieved; nearly.
- Used to create the superlative form.
45A: Slogged (through) NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Through (adjective)
- Having been completed or brought to an end.
- (Of a route or journey) proceeding without interruptions or changes.
Answer:
Hint 2: Anagram – Rearrange the letters below to solve today’s answer:
DAWED
46A: Its first airing was “The French Chef” with Julia Child NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A solution that includes a phosphate buffer.
Answer:
Hint 2: French (noun)
- The citizens of France.
- An American sculptor known for creating the seated marble statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. (1850–1931).
47A: “And the ___ raths outgrabe” (“Jabberwocky” line) NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Jabberwocky (noun) Meaningless language, as defined by Lewis Carroll.
Answer:
Hint 2: Anagram – Rearrange the letters below to solve today’s answer:
MEMO
48A: Exclamation with a shake NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Exclamation (noun)
- An exclamatory rhetorical technique.
- A sudden, excited expression.k
Answer:
Hint 2: Shake (verb)
- To sway back and forth or side to side.
- To move or make something move back and forth.
49A: Black-and-white divers NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Black-and-white (adjective)
- Lacking or unable to produce colours.
- Referring to a situation that is clearly divided into distinct, opposing categories.
Answer:
Hint 2: Divers (adjective) Many and different.
51A: It’s a little shady NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Little (adjective)
- (In informal terms) insignificant and trivial.
- Written in lowercase.
Answer:
Hint 2: Shady (adjective)
- Different from what was expected.
- Shaded or covered in darkness.
56A: Last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, familiarly NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Ptolemaic (adjective) Pertaining to the geocentric Ptolemaic model.
Answer:
Hint 2: Kingdom (noun)
- The territory governed by a king or queen.
- A domain where something holds dominance.
57A: “Worth a shot” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Shot (noun)
- An estimate made with minimal or no information.
- A solid projectile fired from a firearm.
Answer:
Hint 2: Shot (adjective) Changing in colour when viewed from different angles or under varying light.
58A: What some people display after getting stuck? NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Getting (noun) The process of obtaining something.
Answer:
Hint 2: Display (verb)
- To reveal or make something visible.
- To draw attention by displaying a body part or posing, typically in animals.
59A: Far below the surface NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Surface (verb)
- To apply a coat; cover or coat a surface.
- To become visible or make an appearance.
Answer:
Hint 2: Surface (noun)
- Information that is publicly available.
- The surface layer of the land or sea.
1D: X follower, perhaps NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) The larva of a botfly, usually developing inside the body of a horse, sheep, or human.
Answer:
Hint 2: Follower (noun)
- A person who follows the leadership of another.
- Someone who trails or follows another.
2D: Lead-in to -gram NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A self-report personality inventory based on Hans Eysenck’s factor analysis, which identifies three core factors, with extraversion versus introversion and neuroticism being the most significant.
Answer:
Hint 2: Lead-in (noun)
- The opening section of a story.
- A wire linking an antenna to a receiver or a transmitter to a transmission line.
3D: Losing athlete in the 2002 and 2003 N.B.A. Finals NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun)
- The surplus of revenues over expenses during a specific period (including depreciation and other non-cash costs).
- A mesh or network of string, rope, or wire woven at regular intervals.
Answer:
Hint 2: (verb)
- Generate a net profit.
- Earn a net profit.
4D: Runs off at the mouth? NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Mouth (verb)
- Communicate verbally.
- Mouth words silently; form words with the lips alone.
Answer:
Hint 2: Mouth (noun)
- The opening through which food is ingested and vocal sounds are produced.
- A representative, such as a lawyer.
5D: Like a noisy toy NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Noisy (adjective)
- Drawing attention through display or bright colours.
- Characterised by loud, harsh, and nonmusical sounds.
Answer:
Hint 2: Like (verb)
- Desire or choose to do something.
- Form an opinion about or regard in a certain way.
6D: Turned (off) NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb)
- Move in a way that blocks an opening or passage; close.
- Prevent entry; block out.
Answer:
Hint 2: (adjective)
- Typically used for the mouth or eyes.
- Not open.
7D: Oft-kissed part of the statue of St. Peter in Vatican City NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb)
- Hit at an angle.
- Strike (a golf ball) with the toe of the club.
Answer:
Hint 2: (noun)
- The front part of a hoof.
- In golf, the part of the clubhead farthest from the shaft.
8D: Shield, with “for” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Shield (noun)
- Armour worn on the arm to deflect blows.
- A tough outer shell or casing found in certain organisms, such as arthropods and turtles.
Answer:
Hint 2: Shield (verb)
- Guard, shield, or conceal from danger or harm.
- Suppress a thought or feeling.
9D: Not born yesterday, so to speak NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (adjective) Characterised by pragmatic and shrewd intelligence.
Answer:
Hint 2: Yesterday (noun)
- The day just before today.
- The near past.
10D: Bed hogs, at times NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A black dress worn by a widow to signify mourning.
Answer:
Hint 2: Times (noun)
- An arithmetic operation that reverses division; the product of two numbers is calculated.
- A specific period of time, either current or past.
11D: Shrinks’ org. NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) Professional association for psychologists (Abbr.)
Answer:
12D: One who’s made it to some degree? NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Degree (noun)
- A distinct, identifiable point in a sequence, continuum, or process.
- A unit of measurement for arcs and angles.
Answer:
Hint 2: Made (adjective)
- Created through a manufacturing process.
- Successful or guaranteed to succeed.
13D: Lands NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Answers uses in the past:
- WINS (4 letters)
- GETS (4 letters)
Answer:
14D: “I kinda like it!” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Like (verb)
- Desire or choose to do something.
- Form an opinion or attitude toward; assess or regard.
Answer:
Hint 2: Like (adjective) Similar or alike; sharing the same or some characteristics, often used in combination.
21D: Isolated NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Isolated (adjective)
- Being or feeling separated from others.
- Placed in isolation, particularly for health-related reasons.
Answer:
Hint 2: Anagram – Rearrange the letters below to solve today’s answer:
OLDIES
23D: SALT, but not PEPPER NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Pepper (verb)
- Assault and bombard with missiles or in a similar manner.
- Season with pepper.
Answer:
Hint 2: Pepper (noun)
- A sharp seasoning derived from the berry of the common pepper plant native to East India, used whole or ground.
- A vine that produces dark red berries (peppercorns) when fully ripe, found in southern India and Sri Lanka, and naturalised in northern Burma and Assam.
24D: Star-forming region nearest to Earth NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Nearest (adverb) The closest, at the shortest distance.
Answer:
25D: Go ballistic NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Answers used in the past:
- PITCHAFIT (9 letters)
- LOSEIT (6 letters)
Answer:
26D: Jhené ___, Grammy-nominated R&B singer NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Nominated (adjective) Selected through nomination.
Answer:
27D: Japanese food that’s a good source of what it spells backward NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Backward (adverb)
- In a way that is opposite to the usual order or direction.
- Toward a previous time.
Answer:
Hint 2: Backward (adjective)
- Delayed in intellectual development.
- Pointing or facing towards the back or rear.
29D: Some who whistle while they work NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Whistle (noun)
- A low-cost fipple flute.
- The sound produced by something moving quickly or steam escaping from a small opening.
Answer:
Hint 2: Whistle (verb)
- Emit a whining, ringing, or whistling sound.
- Signal by whistling.
32D: Comms group NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Group (noun)
- A set that is closed, associative, has an identity element, and where every element has an inverse.
- A collection of entities (members) regarded as a single unit.
Answer:
Hint 2: Group (verb)
- Create a group or assemble together.
- Organise into groups.
33D: Noisy Asian bird NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) Tropical starlings from Asia.
Answer:
Hint 2: Rearrange the letters below to solve today’s answer:
MANY
35D: Pen for a hit NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Pen (noun)
- A facility for individuals convicted of serious crimes.
- A portable enclosure where babies can be placed to play.
Answer:
Hint 2: Pen (verb) Producing a literary work.
36D: Latin for “trumpet” NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) The deepest brass wind instrument.
Answer:
Hint 2: Trumpet (noun) A brass instrument with a bright tone, featuring a narrow tube and a flared bell, played using valves.
41D: Like many on a Zoom call NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (adjective)
- Distant in relevance, relationship, or kinship.
- Separated or occurring at different times.
Answer:
Hint 2: (noun) A device that allows control of a machine or apparatus from a distance.
42D: Vineyard eponym NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Eponym (noun)
- A name derived from a person, either real or fictional.
- The individual after whom something is named.
Answer:
Hint 2: Vineyard (noun) A grape farm where wine grapes are cultivated.
44D: Like a sole-source contract NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Contract (verb)
- Become smaller or gather together.
- Enter into a contract.
Answer:
Hint 2: Contract (noun)
- In contract bridge, the highest bid establishes the contract, determining the number of tricks the bidder must win.
- A variation of bridge where the bidder earns points towards the game based only on the number of tricks they bid.
45D: Form letters? NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb)
- Correspond in writing.
- Create a literary work.
Answer:
Hint 2: Letters (noun)
- Academic achievement
- The literary tradition
48D: Blue laws, e.g. NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Laws (noun) The first of the three sections of the Hebrew Scriptures, consisting of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, regarded as a single unit.
Answer:
Hint 2: Blue (adjective)
- A color between green and violet; resembling the hue of a clear, unclouded sky.
- Morally strict and demanding.
50D: This means trouble NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A globally recognised distress signal in radio code.
Answer:
Hint 2: Trouble (verb)
- Inflict physical pain and induce illness or discomfort.
- Disturb the mind, causing unease, worry, or alarm.
52D: Woodpecker’s fare NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun)
- A person with poor judgment.
- A metal object wrapped in leather with a flexible handle, used for striking people.
Answer:
Hint 2: (verb)
- Drain or use up.
- Dig into the earth below.
53D: Bad place to be stuck NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (verb)
- Carve out in the shape of a furrow or groove.
- Experience sexual arousal; specific to male mammals.
Answer:
Hint 2: (noun)
- A fixed and repetitive routine that is difficult to break free from.
- Refers to nonhuman mammals: a phase of increased sexual arousal and activity.
54D: Short palindrome in the middle of a famous longer one NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: Palindrome (noun) A word or phrase that is the same when read backward or forward.
Answer:
Hint 2: Anagram – Rearrange the letters below to solve today’s answer:
REE
55D: Track stat NYT Crossword Clue
Hint 1: (noun) A method for screening luggage at airports, where an agent wipes a swab on or inside the luggage and then tests it with a machine that can detect trace explosives.
Answer:
Hint 2: Track (noun)
- Any road or path that provides passage, especially a rough one.
- In computer science, a circular magnetic track on a disk that guides the writing and reading of data.
