The New York Times crossword for Monday, December 15, 2025, was constructed by Jeff Jerome and Andrea Carla Michaels and edited by Will Shortz. Its 59-Across answer is BUNKBEDS, described in the clue as a hint to the circled letters. The complete answer key is below; stop before the tables if you want to solve without spoilers.
About the December 15, 2025 puzzle
The date in the title does not include a year. The answer key here is for the Monday, December 15, 2025 puzzle; December 15, 2026 is still in the future as of October 8, 2026? Actually it is not. The date is past. The source identifies the matching puzzle as 2025, so this page uses that edition. XWord Info’s puzzle archive lists a 15-by-15 grid, 76 entries, 41 blocks and 18 circles.
Jerome’s constructor notes call it his New York Times debut. Michaels says it followed several years of ideas that did not make the cut. The clue at 59-Across reads “Camp sleeping spots … or a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters,” and the answer is BUNKBEDS. The notes mention that the number of bunk-bed sets changed during revisions, but do not fully explain the circled-letter mechanism, so no further theme interpretation is assumed here.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #3
#1 Best Overall
Across answers
| No. | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ___ Nicholas | SAINT |
| 6 | Judge’s seat, from the French | BANC |
| 10 | N.Y.C. airport | JFK |
| 13 | “Star Wars” droid, familiarly | ARTOO |
| 14 | Side’s length squared, for a square | AREA |
| 15 | Thrilla in Manila boxer | ALI |
| 16 | Recharge one’s batteries | RESTUP |
| 18 | Prepared to bathe | DISROBED |
| 20 | Cool ___ cucumber | ASA |
| 21 | “Balderdash!” | LIES |
| 23 | Filled in (for), for short | SUBBED |
| 24 | Schmoozed (with) | HOBNOBBED |
| 27 | Good, long bath | SOAK |
| 28 | Slight injury from tripping | STUBBEDTOE |
| 30 | Bridge support | TRUSS |
| 32 | Karl Marx’s “___ Kapital” | DAS |
| 33 | Do one better than | TOP |
| 36 | President Hoover | HERBERT |
| 39 | “You take credit cards?” response | YESWEDO |
| 42 | Unconventional | ODD |
| 43 | Alternative to the pill, in brief | IUD |
| 45 | Dog-___ (like the pages in some books) | EARED |
| 46 | Foreign-language movie that you don’t have to read subtitles for | DUBBEDFILM |
| 50 | Location for a goatee or soul patch | CHIN |
| 52 | Enchanted | BEDAZZLED |
| 55 | Big-beaked tropical bird | TOUCAN |
| 57 | One-named Brazilian soccer star | PELE |
| 58 | “If you ask me …,” to texters | IMO |
| 59 | Camp sleeping spots … or a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters | BUNKBEDS |
| 61 | Sci-fi writer Isaac | ASIMOV |
| 63 | Suitable, as a unit in a bldg.? | APT |
| 64 | Tales of yore | LORE |
| 65 | Join in marriage | UNITE |
| 66 | Lo-___ graphics | RES |
| 67 | One-named Grammy winner from Ireland | ENYA |
| 68 | ___ Cottontail | PETER |
Down answers
| No. | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wife of Abraham, in the Bible | SARAH |
| 2 | “You ___ right!” | ARESO |
| 3 | “Ridiculous!” | ITSABSURD |
| 4 | “I’m kidding!!,” in “Wayne’s World” | NOT |
| 5 | Artist Henri de ___-Lautrec | TOULOUSE |
| 6 | One who’s rotten from the start | BADSEED |
| 7 | Singer Grande, to fans | ARI |
| 8 | Loch ___ monster | NESS |
| 9 | Opera great Enrico | CARUSO |
| 10 | Sluglike “Star Wars” crime boss | JABBA |
| 11 | On ___ (looking great, in slang) | FLEEK |
| 12 | Colonial-era pirate captain | KIDD |
| 17 | Mr. ___ (Dr Pepper competitor) | PIBB |
| 19 | Orchestral woodwind | OBOE |
| 22 | Be on the wane | EBB |
| 25 | Crash-investigating org. | NTSB |
| 26 | Turning point in W.W. II | DDAY |
| 29 | When doubled, an African fly | TSE |
| 30 | But, briefly | THO |
| 31 | Like a ripe strawberry | RED |
| 33 | Re-election restriction | TERMLIMIT |
| 34 | Many a Wordsworth poem | ODE |
| 35 | Pea holder | POD |
| 37 | Part of a barbecue rack | RIB |
| 38 | Ernest in the Country Music Hall of Fame | TUBB |
| 40 | Suddenly stops working, as an engine | SEIZESUP |
| 41 | Gov. Tim ___, 2024 running mate | WALZ |
| 44 | Beyond the continental shelf, say | DEEPSEA |
| 46 | Comic actor Van Dyke | DICK |
| 47 | Lacking the capacity | UNABLE |
| 48 | Prez before 10-Across | DDE |
| 49 | “Deck the Halls” syllables | FALA |
| 50 | Two-door auto | COUPE |
| 51 | Outings for foxhounds | HUNTS |
| 53 | Show feelings onstage | EMOTE |
| 54 | Capital of Delaware | DOVER |
| 55 | Lift on the slopes | TBAR |
| 56 | Like bright signs on the Las Vegas Strip | NEON |
| 60 | Funny in a subtle way | DRY |
| 62 | Suffix with Benedict or elephant | INE |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
