Appearing in the August 22, 2025 issue of the NYT Crossword, the word or words we’re after is for “Ideal resolution” at 17A. The word “resolution” can take several meanings, like a decision, determination, or even the conclusion of a story, which made this one tricky to pin down. What really threw solvers off, though, was the fact that the entry ran the entire across section, spanning fifteen full squares. That’s an intimidating sight in any grid. Therefore, it wasn’t immediately clear what kind of “resolution” the clue was aiming for, but once the crosses started filling in, the answer slowly revealed itself, as you’ll see right below.
Ideal Resolution NYT Crossword Answer
FAIRYTALEENDING is the answer to the “Ideal resolution” clue.
That’s a combination of three words, which is “fairy tale ending”, like the endings in Disney Princess Films. Here, the clue plays on the word resolution as the conclusion to a story or conflict, while ideal hints at something perfect or almost as if dreamlike. Put together, they lead straight to a fairy tale ending. That’s the quintessential ideal ending to any story where the conflicts are resolved happily.
