12/20/25
Smartypants Saturday
Are you stuck with the Crosswords With Friends Puzzle Today? Stuck No More. We offer complete solutions as well as “no spoiler” mode to give you that little extra push. Or simply use this cheat sheet to help you get the best and fastest completion time possible.
1A
“Braveheart” star Gibson
MEL
4A
Larry ___ Cable Guy
THE
7A
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” snake
ASP
10A
Appliance that may be “self-cleaning”
OVEN
12A
Hip-___ music
HOP
13A
Try to win the heart of
WOO
14A
Retired tennis star Sampras
PETE
15A
Mammals, birds, and reptiles, for example
ANIMALS
17A
With her husband Pierre, co-discoverer of radium in 1898: 2 wds.
MARIECURIE
19A
___ the door (escort out): 2 wds.
SEETO
21A
Main color of a Santa suit
RED
22A
Boxer whose original last name was Clay
ALI
23A
“Straight ___ Compton” (2015 movie)
OUTTA
27A
Chemist and peace activist who was an outspoken opponent of the nuclear arms race: 2 wds.
LINUSPAULING
32A
From ___ to finish
START
33A
Major union for teachers: Abbr.
NEA
34A
“A Christmas Carol” exclamation
BAH
36A
In an irritable mood
TESTY
38A
Award that 17- and 27-Across each won in two different categories, the only people ever to do so: 2 wds.
NOBELPRIZE
42A
In general: 3 wds.
ASARULE
43A
Fury
RAGE
46A
“Batteries ___ included”
NOT
47A
Caribbean or Mediterranean, for example
SEA
One Clue Crossword
WordBrain
WordBubbles!
Word Whizzle
Words Crush
48A
Prayer’s final word
AMEN
49A
Lumberjack’s tool
AXE
50A
On ___ (like draft beer)
TAP
51A
Pre-grown lawn
SOD
1D
Clean, as a kitchen floor
MOP
2D
December 24 or December 31, for example
EVE
3D
“Open the door!”: 3 wds.
LETMEIN
4D
Asian cuisine that includes sticky rice
THAI
5D
Use a grindstone on
HONE
6D
Movie like “Ben-Hur” or “The Ten Commandments”
EPIC
7D
“Yes, I’m ___ of that” (“I know”)
AWARE
8D
“Metal Gear ___” (1998 video game)
SOLID
9D
Sit for a photographer
POSE
11D
Not at all messy
NEAT
16D
Painting on the side of a building
MURAL
18D
“The chickens have come home to ___”
ROOST
19D
“Cousin” who sometimes appears on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
SAL
20D
Cotton gin inventor Whitney
ELI
24D
“Kick it ___ notch!” (Emeril catchphrase): 2 wds.
UPA
25D
2022 movie starring Cate Blanchett as a conductor
TAR
26D
___-frutti ice cream
TUTTI
28D
Person who works in the aisles of a theater
USHER
29D
Tailor’s pants-leg measurements
INSEAMS
30D
Bottom-line amount
NET
31D
___-straight alliance
GAY
34D
Fenway Park team, for short
BOSOX
35D
Die down
ABATE
37D
Bible book before Nehemiah
EZRA
38D
Another name for “Grandma”
NANA
39D
Unbridled desire
LUST
40D
Cop a ___ (make a court deal)
PLEA
41D
Gather, as wheat from a field
REAP
44D
1989-1997 carmaker known for the Metro and Tracker
GEO
45D
___ zone (touchdown territory)
END