The clue “dawdler” in the most recent New York Times crossword (December 26, 2025) is answered with SLOWPOKE (8 letters).

Quick meaning

  • A dawdler is someone who moves slowly or wastes time instead of hurrying.
  • Common crossword-style synonyms include SLOWPOKE , LAGGARD , and similar “slow” descriptors, but for the NYT 12/26/25 puzzle specifically, the fill is SLOWPOKE.

Extra puzzle context

  • Helper and hint sites that track New York Times clues list SLOWPOKE as the 8‑letter solution for “Dawdler” in that December 26, 2025 grid.
  • These sites collect NYT clue–answer pairs over time, so if “dawdler” appears in a different puzzle or with a different letter count, you might see alternate answers, but for this specific late‑2025 usage it’s SLOWPOKE.

Information gathered from public crossword resources and archives available on the internet and portrayed here.