Welcome, crossword enthusiasts, to your dedicated space for tackling one of the most respected grids in the puzzling world! Today, we’re diving deep into the Wall Street Journal crossword puzzle published on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Saturdays are notoriously challenging in the wsj crossword puzzle universe, often featuring tricky themes, clever wordplay, and a wider range of vocabulary and trivia. This particular puzzle, titled “Career Centers” and constructed by the talented duo David Stern & Ella Dershowitz, promises a stimulating mental workout.
Whether you’re a seasoned solver who breezes through the daily grids or someone who enjoys the weekend challenge, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll provide the clues and answers directly, and then offer insights into the constructors’ minds and solving strategies further down. The wsj crossword puzzle isn’t just about filling squares; it’s about appreciating the craft, expanding your knowledge, and engaging your brain in a truly rewarding way.
So, grab your preferred solving tool – be it a pencil, a pen (for the brave!), or your trusty app – pour yourself a cup of coffee, and let’s look at the solutions for the April 12, 2025, wsj crossword puzzle.
Cracking the Code: April 12, 2025 – Clues & Answers
Here are the clues and answers for the April 12, 2025, wsj crossword puzzle:
Across Clues & Answers
1A Potpourri piece Crossword Clue
Answer: PETAL
6A Bit of personal info, slangily Crossword Clue
Answer: DEET
10A Tale Crossword Clue
Answer: YARN
14A Reggae forerunner Crossword Clue
Answer: SKA
17A Wipe away Crossword Clue
Answer: ERASE
18A Handbag seller since 1941 Crossword Clue
Answer: COACH
19A Unit charges Crossword Clue
Answer: CONDOFEES
21A Retort to a doubter of one’s ability Crossword Clue
Answer: CANSO
22A Body mass with a name meaning “little bunch of grapes” Crossword Clue
Answer: UVULA
23A Purple-topped vegetables Crossword Clue
Answer: RUTABAGAS
24A Scottish city that probably doesn’t have any crocodiles Crossword Clue
Answer: DUNDEE
26A Befuddled Crossword Clue
Answer: ATSEA
28A Shindig Crossword Clue
Answer: EVENT
29A Get a closer look, in a way Crossword Clue
Answer: ZOOM IN
31A Really mispronounce, say Crossword Clue
Answer: BUTCHER
33A Growth site Crossword Clue
Answer: UTERUS
34A Yours, in Tours Crossword Clue
Answer: ATOI
35A “Gosh darn!” Crossword Clue
Answer: CRAP
37A Bozos, in Canadian slang Crossword Clue
Answer: HOSERS
39A Cases for podiatrists Crossword Clue
Answer: CORNS
41A Cry from a Verona balcony Crossword Clue
Answer: OROMEO
43A Some soccer shots Crossword Clue
Answer: HEADERS
49A Song sung by Disney’s Dwarfs Crossword Clue
Answer: HEIGH HO
51A Drink slowly Crossword Clue
Answer: NURSE
53A Encouraged Crossword Clue
Answer: URGED ON
54A Small village Crossword Clue
Answer: HAMLET
56A Company added to the Dow in 1979 after dropping out four decades earlier Crossword Clue
Answer: IBM
58A Justice Samuel Crossword Clue
Answer: ALITO
59A Ballpark figure? Crossword Clue
Answer: STAT
63A Org. that aids startups Crossword Clue
Answer: SBA
64A Fight site Crossword Clue
Answer: ARENA
67A Give a post more comments than likes, in internet slang Crossword Clue
Answer: RATIO
68A Craig’s predecessor as morning TV anchor Crossword Clue
Answer: HODA
69A Many a side hustle, and a description of seven of this puzzle’s answers, in a way Crossword Clue
Answer: PARTTIMEJOB
73A “Over there,” to Shakespeare Crossword Clue
Answer: YOND
74A Break out in _ sweat Crossword Clue
Answer: ACOLD
76A “Past Lives” star Lee Crossword Clue
Answer: GRETA
77A Yellowfin, at the sushi restaurant Crossword Clue
Answer: AHI
78A Hindu honorifics Crossword Clue
Answer: SRIS
79A Solitary sort Crossword Clue
Answer: LONER
80A Luau loop Crossword Clue
Answer: LEI
81A Like a super’s keys Crossword Clue
Answer: JANGLY
84A “Wow! My mind is blown!” Crossword Clue
Answer: IMINAWE
86A Light on the range Crossword Clue
Answer: PILOT
89A Barely manages Crossword Clue
Answer: EKESOUT
94A Nuclear treaty provision Crossword Clue
Answer: TESTBAN
97A Jazz legend with an Egypt-inspired name Crossword Clue
Answer: SUNRA
98A Sonata sections Crossword Clue
Answer: RONDOS
101A Take it easy Crossword Clue
Answer: LAZE
103A Grating sound Crossword Clue
Answer: RASP
104A “Give it a rest!” Crossword Clue
Answer: OHCMON
109A Neat and tidy Crossword Clue
Answer: ORDERLY
111A Angle symbols, in trig Crossword Clue
Answer: THETAS
113A Completely opposite Crossword Clue
Answer: POLAR
114A Iraq’s chief port Crossword Clue
Answer: BASRA
115A Line in a book? Crossword Clue
Answer: EM DASH
117A Where do you get off? Crossword Clue
Answer: TRAIN STOP
120A “1, 2 Step” singer Crossword Clue
Answer: CIARA
122A Person who puts up with you Crossword Clue
Answer: GUEST
125A Fishy deli choice Crossword Clue
Answer: TUNAONRYE
126A “Confessions” singer Crossword Clue
Answer: USHER
127A Samurai wear Crossword Clue
Answer: ARMOR
128A CIA predecessor Crossword Clue
Answer: OSS
129A Lower digits Crossword Clue
Answer: TOES
130A Care for Crossword Clue
Answer: TEND
131A Tall and thin Crossword Clue
Answer: REEDY
Down Clues & Answers
1D Delt neighbor Crossword Clue
Answer: PEC
2D Historic stretch Crossword Clue
Answer: ERA
3D Kind of chicken that might be served with a yogurt marinade Crossword Clue
Answer: TANDOORI
4D Presumptuous Crossword Clue
Answer: ASSUMING
5D Téa of “Madam Secretary” Crossword Clue
Answer: LEONI
6D Something you might find in your freezer or your shower Crossword Clue
Answer: DOVE BAR
7D Seine contents Crossword Clue
Answer: EAU
8D Panache Crossword Clue
Answer: ECLAT
9D “The Iron Lady” subject Crossword Clue
Answer: THATCHER
10D “Don’t deny it!” Crossword Clue
Answer: YOUARE
11D Hill colonist Crossword Clue
Answer: ANT
12D FDA suggestion Crossword Clue
Answer: RDA
13D What “check” might mean Crossword Clue
Answer: NOBET
14D “Night Moves” singer Bob Crossword Clue
Answer: SEGER
15D “Sad _” (2010 meme of an actor on a bench eating a sandwich) Crossword Clue
Answer: KEANU
16D Short staff? Crossword Clue
Answer: ASSTS
18D Pool poker Crossword Clue
Answer: CUE
19D Grand Council of the _ (Quebec political group) Crossword Clue
Answer: CREES
20D Top pick, informally Crossword Clue
Answer: FAVE
25D Org. once led by Tim Kaine Crossword Clue
Answer: DNC
27D Waves away Crossword Clue
Answer: SHOOS
29D Galifianakis of “The Hangover” Crossword Clue
Answer: ZACH
30D Great Plains tribe Crossword Clue
Answer: OTOE
32D Barely leading Crossword Clue
Answer: UP ONE
33D Software licensee Crossword Clue
Answer: USER
36D Home device that doubles as a vehicle for cats Crossword Clue
Answer: ROOMBA
38D Baba au _ (spongy cake) Crossword Clue
Answer: RHUM
40D “Too loud!” Crossword Clue
Answer: SHH
42D Make a significant change Crossword Clue
Answer: MUTATE
44D Petri dish substrate Crossword Clue
Answer: AGAR
45D Airport woes Crossword Clue
Answer: DELAYS
46D Sentence shortener, of a sort Crossword Clue
Answer: EDITOR
47D Helical pasta Crossword Clue
Answer: ROTINI
48D Ornamental hairnets Crossword Clue
Answer: SNOODS
50D Padlock’s place Crossword Clue
Answer: HASP
52D “_ Kleine Nachtmusik” Crossword Clue
Answer: EINE
55D Neat and tidy alternative? Crossword Clue
Answer: LARGE
57D Native of the Caribbean’s Bridgetown, e.g. Crossword Clue
Answer: BAJAN
59D Former NBC film critic Gene Crossword Clue
Answer: SHALIT
60D In the future Crossword Clue
Answer: TOCOME
61D Beautiful youth of Greek myth Crossword Clue
Answer: ADONIS
62D On-air performers, in showbiz lingo Crossword Clue
Answer: TALENT
65D Philip of TV’s “Kung Fu” alternative? Crossword Clue
Answer: RIT
66D Key of Dvorák’s “Serenade for Strings” Crossword Clue
Answer: EMAJOR
70D Klutzy move Crossword Clue
Answer: TRIP
71D “Deary me!” Crossword Clue
Answer: OH GEEZ
72D Swindle Crossword Clue
Answer: BILK
75D Washed out Crossword Clue
Answer: DRAB
80D Joking Jay Crossword Clue
Answer: LENO
82D Bikini you could swim around but not in Crossword Clue
Answer: ATOLL
83D “Certainly!” Crossword Clue
Answer: YES
85D Alert Crossword Clue
Answer: WARN
87D Bygone music players Crossword Clue
Answer: IPODS
88D Like a wooden jigsaw puzzle Crossword Clue
Answer: LASERCUT
90D “Whatever you say” Crossword Clue
Answer: SURESURE
91D Words in the title of a composer’s homage Crossword Clue
Answer: ONATHEME
92D Bear in the sky Crossword Clue
Answer: URSA
93D Pub fixtures Crossword Clue
Answer: TAPS
96D Like a complex performance Crossword Clue
Answer: LAYERED
99D Sign on a girls’ pillow fort Crossword Clue
Answer: NOBOYS
100D Hang Crossword Clue
Answer: DRAPE
102D LGA approximation Crossword Clue
Answer: ETD
104D Decide you will Crossword Clue
Answer: OPTTO
105D Son of Osiris Crossword Clue
Answer: HORUS
106D Extended families Crossword Clue
Answer: CLANS
107D Mother of Hermes Crossword Clue
Answer: MAIA
108D “Welp, guess you hate that idea” Crossword Clue
Answer: ORNOT
110D Salary booster Crossword Clue
Answer: RAISE
112D “Horrible” Viking of the comics Crossword Clue
Answer: HAGAR
116D Blemish Crossword Clue
Answer: MAR
118D _ Balls (Hostess snack) Crossword Clue
Answer: SNO
119D Square root of nove Crossword Clue
Answer: TRE
121D Philip of TV’s “Kung Fu” Crossword Clue
Answer: AHN
123D Lawn material Crossword Clue
Answer: SOD
124D Make an attempt Crossword Clue
Answer: TRY
Strategies for Conquering the WSJ Crossword Puzzle
Feeling challenged by the Saturday wsj crossword puzzle? You’re not alone! Here are some strategies to help you navigate the grid:
- Start with Fill-in-the-Blanks: Clues with blanks (like 52A: “___ Kleine Nachtmusik” or 38D: Baba au ___, or 74A: Break out in ___ sweat) are often the easiest entry points.
- Tackle the Short Stuff: Three- and four-letter answers can be easier to guess or deduce, providing valuable letters for longer entries.
- Look for Gimmes: Even tough puzzles have some straightforward clues. Scan for proper nouns you know or common crossword vocabulary.
- Work the Crosses: Every time you fill in an answer, immediately look at the letters it provides for the intersecting (“crossing”) words. This is fundamental to solving any wsj crossword puzzle.
- Think Thematically (Even Subtly): Consider the puzzle’s title (“Career Centers”) and any potential revealer clues (like 69A). Does it suggest a pattern, wordplay type, or subject matter? In this case, recognizing the embedded “jobs” theme was key.
- Embrace Wordplay: Be open to puns, anagrams, reversals, hidden words, and homophones. The wsj crossword puzzle often employs sophisticated wordplay.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Guess (Lightly): If you have a few crossing letters and a hunch, pencil in a guess. It might spark recognition for other clues. Just be ready to erase!
- Step Away: If you hit a wall, take a break. Fresh eyes can often spot connections you missed earlier. A short walk can do wonders for wsj crossword puzzle solving blocks.
- Use Resources (Strategically): It’s okay to look things up occasionally if you’re truly stuck on a piece of trivia. But try to rely on your wits first! For more general tips and practice, you might explore resources like Mini Crossword Answers Today.
- Practice Makes Perfect: The more you solve, especially challenging puzzles like the Saturday wsj crossword puzzle, the more attuned you become to common clue types, vocabulary (“crosswordese”), and constructor styles.
A Brief History of the WSJ Crossword Puzzle
While the first crossword puzzle appeared in the New York World in 1913, the wsj crossword puzzle is a more recent, yet highly esteemed, addition to the landscape. The Wall Street Journal introduced its daily crossword puzzle relatively late compared to some other major publications, launching it in 1998 under the editorship of Mike Shenk.
Shenk, a highly respected figure in the puzzle world, set a high standard from the beginning. The wsj crossword puzzle quickly gained a reputation for quality, cleverness, and a slightly different flavor than its competitors. It often incorporates business and finance terms, reflecting its parent publication, but its scope is broad, covering all aspects of culture, science, and wordplay.
A key feature introduced by the WSJ was the Friday “contest” puzzle, which usually involves a meta-challenge – solving the grid is only the first step, followed by figuring out a final answer based on the theme or specific clues. This added an extra layer of engagement for dedicated solvers. The Saturday puzzle, like the one from April 12, 2025, is typically a themeless challenge but, as seen here, can contain subtle layers or gimmicks revealed by a specific clue and the title.
Today, the wsj crossword puzzle continues to thrive both in print and online, attracting top constructors and a dedicated solving community. It remains a benchmark for quality and a rewarding challenge for puzzle lovers. You can find the latest puzzles directly on the WSJ Puzzles & Crosswords page.
Why Bother with Brain Benders? The Benefits of Crosswords
Engaging with a wsj crossword puzzle isn’t just a way to pass the time; it’s actively good for your brain! Here’s why:
- Vocabulary Expansion: You constantly encounter new words and new meanings for familiar words.
- Knowledge Building: Crosswords expose you to trivia across history, geography, arts, science, and more.
- Cognitive Maintenance: Studies suggest that mentally stimulating activities like crossword puzzles may help maintain brain function and potentially delay cognitive decline. Engaging your brain regularly helps keep it sharp. Learn more about brain health from the Alzheimer’s Association.
- Problem-Solving Skills: You’re constantly analyzing clues, looking for patterns (like the hidden jobs in this wsj crossword puzzle), and using deductive reasoning.
- Pattern Recognition: Spotting common crossword phrases, abbreviations, and clue types improves with practice.
- Stress Relief: Focusing intensely on the grid can be a form of mindfulness, offering a satisfying escape from daily worries.
- Sense of Accomplishment: Finishing a challenging puzzle, especially a Saturday wsj crossword puzzle, provides a genuine dopamine hit and a feeling of intellectual satisfaction!
Keep puzzling, and be sure to check back for more wsj crossword puzzle insights, discussions, and answers! For consistent daily puzzle fun and quick answers, consider exploring sites like Mini Crossword Answers Today. Happy solving!
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