NYT Crossword Answers for April 9, 2025

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WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Greetings, my fellow puzzleheads! Deb Amlen here, sitting in for my illustrious colleague, Sam Corbin, who is recovering from a mild mystery illness in an undisclosed location. She will be back next week with even more puns, if you can imagine. I don’t know where she gets them all.

The constructors of today’s puzzle, Aidan Deshong and Oren Hartstein, were close friends in high school, and they have maintained their friendship in college.

Mr. Deshong has had three puzzles published in The New York Times, and this is Mr. Orenstein’s debut. Their theme was sparked by a bright 36A that Mr. Orenstein had. And now here he is with an entire puzzle published in The Times.

All it takes is one spark, and if you stoke it, that spark can become a flame. If you are wondering if you could construct a crossword, don’t be overwhelmed by the idea that you have to have an entire set of theme entries made all at once. Let it cook for a while in your brain. If you can, find published constructors and bat your ideas around with them. They can help you develop a theme by suggesting things you may not have considered. If you are not sure how to find the items that other constructors use, such as word lists and puzzle making software, here is a list of resources.

Today’s Theme

The theme of today’s puzzle is “meh.” That’s not a critique of the puzzle, mind you. It’s simply about less-than-enthusiastic, three-star reviews of a cocktail shaker, the game Battleship, an easy-A class, the city of Tulsa, Okla. and Good Friday, the Friday before Easter.