NYT Crossword Answers for April 22, 2025

Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky Clues

TUESDAY PUZZLE — Whether or not I had good taste in music as a teenager depends on whom you ask. (One might argue that a sixth grader with most of Weird Al Yankovic’s discography memorized was a woman ahead of her time!) I might have been more popular if I had followed some of the bands in today’s crossword, constructed by Alex Eaton-Salners. I did catch up to the trends eventually — but alas, I walked a lonely road.

Today’s Theme

The bands may be our clues, but their entries have little to do with music. Instead, each band’s name is wittily linked to something more familiar — for instance, at 17A, some [Red Hot Chili Peppers] are CAROLINA REAPERS. At 29A, celebrate a [Green Day] and you’re observing SAINT PATRICK’S. And, at 43A, [Earth, Wind & Fire] are GREEK ELEMENTS. I’ll let you solve the last clue on your own, but I’ll give you a hint: Go west, not east.

Tricky Clues

23A. This word for a [Person chosen by ballot] isn’t wrong, but it doesn’t feel natural, either: It’s ELECTEE.

47A./48A. Note that both [Bud holder] and [Pen filler] are vague in their wording, so don’t rely on their solving to similar answers in future puzzles. This [Bud holder] is an EAR, but in past puzzles it has also been “keg,” “vase” and “twig.” The [Pen filler] is INK here but has also been “sheep” and “hog.”