NYT Crossword Answers for May 26, 2025

Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky Clues

MONDAY PUZZLE — Today is a federal holiday in the United States, so I hope that at least some of you had the luxury of tackling the New York Times Crossword without feeling harried by work tasks. It’s a different kind of special occasion for Ari Halpern, who constructed today’s puzzle, because it represents his return to The Times after 17 years! The grid itself feels like a nod to prolonged absences, in that the theme is nostalgic for a tradition of days gone by.

Let’s reel in the years together, shall we?

Today’s Theme

I wasn’t around to appreciate the [1970s-’80s TV staple] that serves as today’s revealer, but the wordplay here is firmly for all ages. MOVIE OF THE WEEK was a prime-time ritual, notably on ABC, and in this puzzle serves to highlight entries at 16-, 25- and 42-Across, each one a movie title that contains a day of the week.

The [1999 sports drama co-starring Al Pacino] is “ANY GIVEN SUNDAY” (16A). The [1973 marital drama co-starring Elizabeth Taylor] is “ASH WEDNESDAY” (25A). And the [2003 fantasy comedy co-starring Lindsay Lohan], which I was most definitely around for, is “FREAKY FRIDAY.”

Tricky Clues

5A. Dentists, keep scrolling: I was not aware that there was a term for the little bumps on our back teeth. [One of four on most molars] is a CUSP.

36A. The clue [Firmly declares] may solve to either of two very similar words. A number of you no doubt recall having been misled in this year’s cruel (but funny) April Fools’ Day puzzle, which presented a series of penciled-in entries that seemed correct, but weren’t. [Declare openly] was penciled in as “aver,” but had to be corrected to “avow.” So, too, in this puzzle: The answer is AVOWS, not “avers.”