Took the cake? Crossword Clue
Looking for the answer to “Took the cake?” from the New York Times crossword of June 15, 2025? It has 3 letters. Flip the tiles one at a time, try a hint first, or look through the rest of that puzzle.
Crossword answer
NEW YORK TIMES, JUNE 15, 2025
Tap a tile to see one letter, or show the whole answer.
ATE is the answer to “Took the cake?”. It means blind impulse or reckless ambition that drives one to ruin.
Hints
Three clues to the answer, gentle first. Open one at a time.
Hint 1 Meaning
Blind impulse or reckless ambition that drives one to ruin.
Hint 2 Anagram
Its letters, scrambled: ETA.
Hint 3 Another clue
It has also been clued as “Lunched, say”.
More clues from the New York Times (June 15, 2025)
Across
- 1. "Oh, fiddlesticks!"6 letters, starts with AAWDARN
- 7. Peace symbol5 letters, starts with VVSIGN
- 12. What a flipping tool!7 letters, starts with SSPATULA
- 19. Big, important people, informally7 letters, starts with HHEAVIES
- 21. Listless malaise5 letters, starts with EENNUI
- 22. National flowers of India, Vietnam and Egypt7 letters, starts with LLOTUSES
- 23. Device used to clear out nasal passages / Final part of a radio countdown7 letters, starts with NNETIPOT
- 24. Perez of "White Men Can't Jump"5 letters, starts with RROSIE
- 25. Brunch entrees / Figure with an eponymous fire7 letters, starts with OOMELETS
- 26. Paper views?5 letters, starts with OOPEDS
- 27. Laughing hysterically10 letters, starts with IINSTITCHES
- 30. Cooling systems, for short3 letters, starts with AACS
- 31. ___ Dems (U.K. party, informally)3 letters, starts with LLIB
- 32. Product branded as the "coldest drink in town"4 letters, starts with IICEE
- 33. Belafonte hit featured in the movie "Beetlejuice"4 letters, starts with DDAYO
- 34. Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan "Vishy" ___5 letters, starts with AANAND
- 36. Genetic repositories / Reel Big Fish or Sublime8 letters, starts with DDNABANKS
- 39. Eau zone?3 letters, starts with MMER
- 40. Takes advantage of / Decoration painted on many a W.W. II aircraft8 letters, starts with TTRADESON
- 43. It's a sin5 letters, starts with GGREED
- 44. Vince Guaraldi ___, jazz group featured in "A Charlie Brown Christmas"4 letters, starts with TTRIO
- 46. Note at work4 letters, starts with MMEMO
- 47. Abbr. in lieu of an ellipsis3 letters, starts with EETC
- 48. Figure who might leave you heart-stricken?4 letters, starts with EEROS
- 50. Taipei-based tech company4 letters, starts with AASUS
- 52. Thawb-wearing leaders5 letters, starts with EEMIRS
- 54. Hit 1981 German-language film / "What a shame!"7 letters, starts with DDASBOOT
- 57. ___ bene4 letters, starts with NNOTA
- 58. Women abroad / Wrapped garments8 letters, starts with SSIGNORAS
- 62. Conference opponent of a Sun Devil3 letters, starts with UUTE
- 63. Concocts5 letters, starts with BBREWS
- 65. Record label founded by Clive Davis6 letters, starts with AARISTA
- 67. Moist4 letters, starts with DDAMP
- 68. Father figure?5 letters, starts with PPADRE
- 70. "Love that for you"7 letters, starts with HHOWNICE
- 72. Actress Sink of "Stranger Things"5 letters, starts with SSADIE
- 73. Introduction to a conclusion4 letters, starts with EERGO
- 74. Headed for disaster6 letters, starts with DDOOMED
- 76. No man's land, maybe?5 letters, starts with IISLET
- 79. Stumble ___ (punny bar name)3 letters, starts with IINN
- 80. Offerings from Healthline / Roasting on an open fire, maybe8 letters, starts with DDIETTIPS
- 82. Up to it4 letters, starts with AABLE
- 84. Pioneer in Modernist poetry / Throne7 letters, starts with TTSELIOT
- 86. Justice Sotomayor5 letters, starts with SSONIA
- 87. Head-butts4 letters, starts with RRAMS
- 88. Weapon used for touching4 letters, starts with EEPEE
- 89. Gate inits.3 letters, starts with EETD
- 92. Turn away4 letters, starts with DDENY
- 93. Ragamuffins and Pixie-bobs, for two4 letters, starts with CCATS
- 95. Besides, with "from"5 letters, starts with AAPART
- 98. Portmanteau drinking hangouts / Marine crustacean8 letters, starts with BBARCADES
- 100. Film studio with a tower logo that beeped out "V for Victory" during W.W. II3 letters, starts with RRKO
- 101. Like some bikes / Sunken, as the eyes8 letters, starts with TTENSPEED
- 104. In all honesty5 letters, starts with TTRULY
- 105. Burst forth4 letters, starts with SSPEW
- 107. Mud4 letters, starts with JJAVA
- 108. Issa of "American Fiction"3 letters, starts with RRAE
- 109. Cry while covering one's ears, maybe3 letters, starts with TTMI
- 110. Was without peer10 letters, starts with SSTOODALONE
- 113. Social grace5 letters, starts with CCLASS
- 115. Comparatively upper-crust, in a way / Wood cutter7 letters, starts with WWASPIER
- 117. One addressed as "lord"5 letters, starts with BBARON
- 118. Component of a Caesar salad / Captivate7 letters, starts with RROMAINE
- 120. Dessert with a cookie crust7 letters, starts with OOREOPIE
- 121. Person I used to be5 letters, starts with OOLDME
- 122. Bankroll7 letters, starts with SSPONSOR
- 123. Trait of many healthy dogs7 letters, starts with WWETNOSE
- 124. Positive feedback?5 letters, starts with YYESES
- 125. How the U.S. has existed since its inception6 letters, starts with IINDEBT
Down
- 1. "The Governator"6 letters, starts with AAHNOLD
- 2. Reaction to a tearjerker7 letters, starts with WWEEPING
- 3. Hand-held snack with dried fruit7 letters, starts with DDATEBAR
- 4. Rah-rah4 letters, starts with AAVID
- 5. Copies, as from a disc4 letters, starts with RRIPS
- 6. Prefix with Confucianism3 letters, starts with NNEO
- 7. Chapter component5 letters, starts with VVERSE
- 8. Little twerp4 letters, starts with SSNOT
- 9. How a shirt might be put on in a rush … or a hint to this puzzle's theme21 letters, starts with IINSIDEOUTANDBACKWARDS
- 10. One of at least 35 smashed in 1967 alone by the Who's Pete Townshend6 letters, starts with GGUITAR
- 11. Actress Nash of "Never Have I Ever"5 letters, starts with NNIECY
- 12. Bluish-black berry4 letters, starts with SSLOE
- 13. Small, fuzzy dogs, informally4 letters, starts with PPOMS
- 14. Took the cake?3 letters, starts with AATE
- 15. University whose name sounds like a kind of highway6 letters, starts with TTULANE
- 16. Scenario for a software developer7 letters, starts with UUSECASE
- 17. "Guys, we're better than this!"7 letters, starts with LLETSNOT
- 18. Donkey3 letters, starts with AASS
- 20. Become established over time, so to speak5 letters, starts with SSTICK
- 28. Make one's home in the woods, say4 letters, starts with NNEST
- 29. Complete disasters9 letters, starts with HHOTMESSES
- 32. Like some pets and pools6 letters, starts with IINDOOR
- 34. Zhuzh up5 letters, starts with AADORN
- 35. Donkey grp.3 letters, starts with DDNC
- 37. English channel, with "the"4 letters, starts with BBEEB
- 38. Life form that requires oxygen6 letters, starts with AAEROBE
- 39. Japanese paste imparting umami4 letters, starts with MMISO
- 41. Send, as money5 letters, starts with RREMIT
- 42. Guadalajara girlfriend5 letters, starts with AAMIGA
- 45. Bad return policy?6 letters, starts with RRANSOM
- 49. Business address abbr.3 letters, starts with SSTE
- 51. Wrapped garment4 letters, starts with SSARI
- 53. Drink from a fountain4 letters, starts with SSODA
- 54. Got good5 letters, starts with DDUPED
- 55. Company whose logo was designed to resemble the game Pong5 letters, starts with AATARI
- 56. Grasslike marsh plant5 letters, starts with SSEDGE
- 59. Pie chart dividers5 letters, starts with RRADII
- 60. ___ acid5 letters, starts with AAMINO
- 61. Totally beat5 letters, starts with SSPENT
- 64. Question of authority9 letters, starts with WWHOSAYSSO
- 66. Most in need of salt, say6 letters, starts with IICIEST
- 69. Goes bad4 letters, starts with RROTS
- 71. Fray4 letters, starts with WWEAR
- 72. Gets in hot water?6 letters, starts with SSTEEPS
- 74. Chowed down (on)5 letters, starts with DDINED
- 75. Share one's take5 letters, starts with OOPINE
- 77. Smartphone alternative to Wi-Fi3 letters, starts with LLTE
- 78. El país de Palma6 letters, starts with EESPANA
- 81. Program that debuted a little before "The Tonight Show," appropriately5 letters, starts with TTODAY
- 83. "u crack me up"4 letters, starts with LLMAO
- 85. Gap in logic4 letters, starts with LLEAP
- 89. Inits. on a food assistance card3 letters, starts with EEBT
- 90. Served raw7 letters, starts with TTARTARE
- 91. Kit with cymbals7 letters, starts with DDRUMSET
- 94. Comics legend Lee4 letters, starts with SSTAN
- 96. Daring poker action7 letters, starts with RRERAISE
- 97. Someone who might find Darjeeling appealing7 letters, starts with TTEASNOB
- 99. Like some ties6 letters, starts with CCLIPON
- 100. Colorful selection at an Irish pub6 letters, starts with RREDALE
- 102. Civil rights activist Medgar5 letters, starts with EEVERS
- 103. Parched place6 letters, starts with DDESERT
- 106. New Orleans food specialty5 letters, starts with PPOBOY
- 107. Craving5 letters, starts with JJONES
- 110. Twice tres4 letters, starts with SSEIS
- 111. One of many on Antarctica over 280 million years ago, scientists have discovered4 letters, starts with TTREE
- 112. Togo's capital4 letters, starts with LLOME
- 113. "Gimme a break!"4 letters, starts with CCMON
- 114. Succeed, as a joke4 letters, starts with LLAND
- 115. "There are no words"3 letters, starts with WWOW
- 116. Corp. debut3 letters, starts with IIPO
- 119. Nail polish brand with a "Wicked"-inspired collection3 letters, starts with OOPI
Fresh clues from recent puzzles
Questions
What is the answer to “Took the cake?”?
ATE, 3 letters: blind impulse or reckless ambition that drives one to ruin.
When was “Took the cake?” last seen in a crossword?
In the New York Times crossword of June 15, 2025.
How many letters does the answer have?
3 letters, starting with A.