"Beware The ___ Of March" Crossword Clue

By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: Apr 25, 2025

Searching for the solution to the "Beware the ___ of March" crossword clue in the Apr 25, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've pinpointed the exact 4-letter answer for you. To enhance your puzzle-solving adventure, we've created interactive tools to make the experience more engaging. Utilize our step-by-step letter reveal feature to gradually discover the solution, or explore our thoughtfully crafted hints—including relevant anagrams, similar clues sharing the same answer, or comprehensive definitions to guide your thinking process. We've also made it simple to navigate between connected clues from the same puzzle for a fluid solving experience. Ready to delve deeper into this classic literary reference? Let's explore the solution!

Crossword Answer:

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About This Clue

The April 25, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "Beware the ___ of March" with the answer IDES. This clue references one of the most famous lines from William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," where a soothsayer warns Caesar to "Beware the Ides of March." The Ides of March specifically refers to March 15 in the Roman calendar, which became historically significant as the date of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE. This literary and historical reference is a common crossword clue that tests solvers' knowledge of famous quotations and classical history.

Historical Context

In ancient Rome, the Ides fell on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th day of the other months. The term "Ides" derives from the Latin "Idus" and was simply a way to mark divisions in the Roman calendar. However, the Ides of March gained extraordinary historical significance when Julius Caesar was assassinated on that date in 44 BCE by a group of Roman senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus.

According to historical accounts, including those by Plutarch and Suetonius, a seer named Spurinna had warned Caesar about danger that would come no later than the Ides of March. As the story goes, when Caesar encountered Spurinna on his way to the Senate on the Ides, he reportedly said, "The Ides of March have come," suggesting the prophecy had failed. Spurinna replied, "Aye, they have come, but they have not gone." Later that day, Caesar was stabbed 23 times by the conspirators. This dramatic episode was immortalized in Shakespeare's play, where the warning "Beware the Ides of March" became one of the most memorable lines in literary history.

NYT Mini Crossword Tips

When encountering literary references like "Beware the ___ of March" in the NYT Mini Crossword, familiarity with famous quotes, characters, and works from classic literature can be extremely helpful. Shakespeare quotes in particular frequently appear in crosswords due to their cultural significance and widespread recognition. For this specific clue, recognizing it as a quote from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" quickly narrows down the possible answers to "IDES." The Mini Crossword often includes such literary and historical references, so building knowledge in these areas can significantly improve your solving speed. Remember that the Mini typically features shorter answers (3-5 letters), so when you see a literary quote with a blank, the missing word is likely to be quite short.

Related Crossword Answers

More Clues & Answers For The New York Times Mini (April 25, 2025)

ACROSS

• 1. "Beware the ___ of March"
• 5. Sends a message
• 7. Pond scum
• 8. Teeny-tiny bit
• 9. Doctor who might more aptly be called a "dogtor"

DOWN

• 1. "Don't call ___ comeback!"
• 2. Supermarket section
• 3. Arnold Schwarzenegger or Chris Christie, e.g., for short
• 4. 5-Across or 8-Across, if you change the T's in this answer
• 6. Musical chairs need