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Puzzles for December, 2025
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (4)Editor (2)Jim Horne (8)Hide comments
Mon 12/1/2025
MEMOLEAPMENDS
ACAIALSOAVAIL
CHILLPILLGAUGE
HONDATAKEIRIP
FROZENACCOUNT
PERUSEOAR
ADAMRHEACAGES
DIMCOOLCATRAP
STEPHPIERMASA
EATTRACES
POLAROPPOSITE
AHAATARIFUNGI
RATEDCOLDFRONT
IRENEKNEEETAS
SEXTSSERFDEWY
Tue 12/2/2025
MASTSERICMMA
IMMADRATABEAM
NOOKSDIEMEGGO
ACRESOSECLAIR
JOEPESCILAV
ONENBATEAMS
CBSTVAGESDRAG
LIPSYNCATHEART
OTOHONCDARBYS
DETOXTEAALE
TISPGMOVIES
OCASIOIMPOSLO
COLABETAADLIB
HOOTACAISKATE
OPTDOLLLAMER
Wed 12/3/2025
LADSBALEDAMID
OLEOALEXANIKE
FORMILESICANSEE
THEENDTATGAP
YAKPEDSOSU
SURVIVEIWILL
BRITOBIEIDES
FLAXPRELLPEND
LODEHAREBEDS
AGIRLIKISSED
OSOATENASA
ASHCSIEJECTS
THESHERIFFISHOT
RIALMAORIPOOR
ANDYIQUITYODA
Thu 12/4/2025
CEDARSAABCCCP
ILOSEAGRAORAL
TOOKNOTICEMARA
RIMSPALHENRY
USENINETIESKID
SERTAINNSAO
ANIMALSHIGH
CARAMELDELITE
MOSSPLEATED
ARTGEONERDS
CREEPINGOUTOOH
HORASIRSONCE
ODORCARBONDATE
NEILUGLITALON
EDDYBESTHYDRA
Fri 12/5/2025
GHANASAUDI
SEASONTICKETS
DONTPOKETHEBEAR
EVEENLACESRIA
RISENEROSCALI
MEERSTEMBATON
ATTACKADLONERS
SLITMINI
SCREAMTAKETHAT
ALARMRATEBOTH
LAYSPILEPESTO
ARKALBERTATEN
HEREGOESNOTHING
TODAYYEARSOLD
CURSELEYTE
Sat 12/6/2025
TIRESPICEDALES
HAULTECHNOBEAT
AMMOPLEASERISE
TSORATERAFEW
SORBETSLOOM
ATHENSTILESAWS
WHALEWAXEDCHU
RESTNARCOQTIP
ARIDETOXQUITE
PETNAMESQUIVER
ODORQUAKERS
CNETVIBEYWHO
HOLYSMOKESBEIN
UPSETALERTCANI
MEATSWEATSCROC
Sun 12/7/2025 Original Thinkers
COIFSIPASSAHABALPO
UBOLTWASATPACEPOOH
POWERCOUPLEBIRDBRAIN
SEAAIRLIARSREELNNE
VARCANOELIOTTA
CABLEGUYMOUNTAINGOAT
HURONNIBPREVAIL
OTICASPENSORESASSY
MOTIONDETECTORLOWS
PTAMOESGAITERGAVEL
UNMADEPARESONESIE
ANNANPARTEDOMENETC
NEINSEEDYCHARACTER
TRACEOKSYESANDLENA
AMOROSOARTCURES
DRIVINGFORCEAIRHEADS
REMENDNEEDSCOE
UGHEARLORINGTWISTS
DREAMTEAMSTARWITNESS
GERMEAVEEERIEORGAN
ETESSLATIDESTYEARS
Emmy Noother

This puzzle was inspired by my favorite mathematician, Emmy Noether. Noether was a brilliant algebraist who became particularly well known for her work with rings. One day, the particularly funny thought popped into my mind that she could aptly be described as a RING LEADER or even a RING MASTER. This led me down the garden path of other famous historical thinkers that might be humorously described in other ways. I hope this puzzle makes you chuckle!

I'm enormously grateful to my mentor, the wonderful editor Christina Iverson. She supported my efforts on this puzzle from start to finish — without her, this puzzle wouldn't exist. Thank you, Christina!

I've been so grateful to the crossword constructor community over the years — many of my happiest moments in life have involved a coffee in one hand and a crossword in the other. It's such a delight to join the ranks and contribute a puzzle of my own. Happy solving!

Mon 12/8/2025
MADAMTACOLAD
OPERAASTINALA
JACKSONHOLESOW
OROCAKEPISTON
STREAKSEALED
URSAMILLIE
LYCRASCANTSA
SOHODIGITSCAT
DYERAILHOHUM
ORIGINSLAM
RARESTIMEANT
SLYNODACESROI
CUPWORKOUTWELL
ALILUTESEENIE
BLTTENTRITES
Tue 12/9/2025
ADDSPADREPEPS
DIETTULIPEMIT
ASFARASICANTELL
PURESSEOARS
JUSTSPITBALLING
ATEUAEERATEA
BEDAMNZEEMARY
HEDGEROWS
GAGAOLDLANDED
ISOTRIAAHUNO
FORWHATITSWORTH
FIRECRTAFAR
ONLYATHOUGHTBUT
POLLHENNAELSA
SWAYASSESNETS
Wed 12/10/2025
WEVESWATATZEUS
EVELTACOMAONTO
BEGSPRERECORDED
ANGERPRINTER
PEIUHSDOUBT
PREPPYATMSNEO
BEADRICEPADDY
NATURERESERVES
ESCALATORDOER
CFOSAWSESCROW
OWNEDSRIERA
RATTRAPTUPAC
ROSESAREREDRACK
ERICTOILETSILO
VENTSYNODSARES
Thu 12/11/2025
ANTIHERAALPE
LOOTOPERALIEU
DREAMTEAMSAFAR
AISLEEPSOMECO
ILLNEALE
PICTUREPERFECT
JOGSNINAITSOK
IPOSANDPITSRO
METALSEEPOOPS
IMAGINEDRAGONS
OWETODOH
HBOSLOMOALEXA
AIMSTHINKTANKS
CLANEMCEELICK
KENOSEGAADDS

On episode 6 of his excellent crossword podcast "Crosstalk," Daniel Grinburg compares getting a crossword published in the New York Times to one's birthday, to which his guest, Aimee Lucido says "even on my birthday I don't get that much attention!"

I'm excited to put Aimee's comment to the test this week, as I complete another trip around the sun just one day before this puzzle goes to print. I have a gut feeling that Aimee is spot on.

Besides, why should I get attention on my birthday anyway? It's my mom, Jocelyn, who should be celebrated. I'd like to thank her here, not just for bringing me into this world, but for the unending love and support she has provided for me and my brother for more than four decades now. Love you, Mom!

Lastly, I have submitted nearly 20 puzzles since dropping this one in the NYT queue last September, and I like to think that each one helps me become a better constructor. However, this crossword still contains two of my all-time highlights: (1) the ironic juxtaposition of 28-Down and 29-Down, and (2) my clue on 47-Down. I hope these bring you as much joy as they do me.

Fri 12/12/2025
PSASCAUSEACTS
IKNOWRIGHTSUIT
TINFOILHATPLEA
TEAMSWASHTUB
BESTSHASPS
VALENCIAMOLT
IPADRAWFOOTAGE
SOBFONDANTTOE
APPLESAUCEDUAL
AIDSSTYLISTS
SERVETSTOP
ARTEXPORILKE
PINSASSEENONTV
ICEETHERESMORE
DARTHANGSABET
Sat 12/13/2025
BADBREATH
CURRIEDCRAB
FOODADDITIVES
GARYNEATOEATS
ESPHOTPINKRUN
THORASENNOTDO
TIRADETETHER
HOAGIESOILTANK
ENTITLEPALETTE
MIENEAGERRILL
ECGORDINALNOI
MORPHOVAAWMAN
ONEOFEVERYTHING
SECUREMATINS
DONGSSWORD
Sun 12/14/2025 Change Locations
STORMTOPLSUCARDS
CHAFEWRAPUPSREVERE
OOHIMSOSCAREDPADAWAN
PRUDENTMIKAFAVEIFS
EPAAIDANRHINEUNTO
DENVERMINTMARSLANDER
ELLENPETEYBASES
ENOSGOALNETGEL
FLIPAHOUSEDRUMLINES
ALIETETSARABCKENO
VESTSLISAVAPEFEWER
OSHASLRMALLRCAEMT
WHATAHOOTNOTEXACTLY
TRYNEGATORNEAL
SPILTDWELLNOTIP
IOWEYOUONEGAINEDADAY
CLADPROSEALEVEOLE
KENMEADCOLDINERTIA
BATHINGALTEREDSTATES
AXIOMSCURSIVEAGENT
YENTETBANEOSUDSY

Zachary: "I'm very excited to be making my NYT debut today, especially because it's alongside one of my favorite constructors, who also turned out to be a dream collaborator!

I had the idea for this theme in March, but I suspected that I'd be in over my head with a 21x, so I reached out to John, knowing he is a legend of the Sunday puzzle. John was brilliant in generating thousands of possible theme entries, which we were able to whittle down to nine and a revealer. The meta answer, which I think might be my favorite part of the puzzle, was all John.

As for me, I'm a 16-year-old junior from Highland Park, IL. Incredibly, I found out that Highland Park is a crossword-constructing hotspot of sorts: Evan Birnholz and Ben Bass are both from HP, and Adam Aaronson is from rival Deerfield.

Lastly, I have to thank Quiara Vasquez and Boaz Moser for their guidance when I was first starting out. I hope everybody enjoys the puzzle!!"

Mon 12/15/2025
SAINTBANCJFK
ARTOOAREAALI
RESTUPDISROBED
ASALIESSUBBED
HOBNOBBEDSOAK
STUBBEDTOE
TRUSSDASTOP
HERBERTYESWEDO
ODDIUDEARED
DUBBEDFILM
CHINBEDAZZLED
TOUCANPELEIMO
BUNKBEDSASIMOV
APTLOREUNITE
RESENYAPETER

Andrea: This is my collaborator, former catsitter and friend Jeff Jerome's NYT debut after a few years of many good ideas that didn't quite make the cut.

It was Jeff's idea, grid and fill after many helpful revisions/suggestions by Joel Fagliano who really hung in there with us to make it work! Proud to be a part of this and dibs on top bunk!

We tried to get rid of FLEEK as well in a last minute fifth revision… but we did reduce editor complaint list of too many names and initialisms from 20 down to five!

And the bunk beds went from originally five or six sets down to three and back up to four!

Tue 12/16/2025
BOOKAPPSBEGIN
AKINBRAHUSONE
NINECOVERSTORY
DEKESGEEKYGEO
LIARNOBEL
ALEGROSSEXECS
BAGCHECKWECARE
OTOHAKIRAOBOE
REMISSFAIRPLAY
TRACEEFILEETA
SODASSSNS
AUSASCIITESLA
SMARTPHONEITEM
OHGEEEWERZANY
FIEFSRATSENDS
Wed 12/17/2025
COIFSARABSTEP
UBOATLANAURGE
POUTYPARTYBUGS
SESHUSESQUEST
OURCURT
CHAMPSATTHEBOUT
RAPDECREEALLY
AMOCOTUEKNITS
BULLNOSTRAFRO
SPOUTINTHEOCEAN
GEEKPSA
CHILESLOETIPS
OOZESPELLITOUT
SEESKINDCOTTA
ADDSANTEHYATT
Thu 12/18/2025
BOASTSPIELISP
ENOKITORSINCO
DARINGRESQQNAM
SITEATUSURP
RAILATSMOKEY
SYRAQQORANGE
OFUSEUFOSDOX
NANABRETTHOOP
CUEERIEMISDO
EXQQMYFRENCH
BUTANEXESOUT
LEARNSIXNOD
IRLUNJUSTLYAQQ
AGEEBERTSEGUE
REDLANESDRIED
Fri 12/19/2025
ELSABASSDRUM
DOTSILLINOISE
GOUTFREESOLOED
AMBITIONIRA
REBHANDSKNICK
DEPOTEPEENAN
ELDERIDEALMATE
NATEINFEREDIE
DROPSDEADTREND
AGEWORMFACET
TESSATIPINPHI
MGSLENGTHEN
NEPOBABIESOOHS
OPERAGOERCLAP
WAGEGAPSKETO
Sat 12/20/2025
AGASSIEMBARK
VENTEDCROONER
ONTILTFORTNITE
WELLLADIDAHMOW
EVELGIVENFIRE
DERMANERDFESTS
ORCASBEETS
SOLARCOALS
SKIESSAYST
CHINSTRAPTHICK
RANGPOLEDERIE
AKCSADTROMBONE
FEATURESREUBEN
TORONTOINROME
SNEAKYSUNTAN
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108 ms