Like the tone of a talking-to Crossword Clue

• Ship back?

  New York Times · Saturday, July 4, 2026 · 5 letters

• Serious in manner

  New York Times · Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 5 letters

• Serious

  New York Times · Thursday, April 16, 2026 · 5 letters

• Taxing, as a test

  New York Times · Saturday, March 7, 2026 · 5 letters

• Like an authoritarian

  New York Times · Sunday, January 11, 2026 · 5 letters

• Showing tough love, say

  New York Times · Saturday, September 27, 2025 · 5 letters

• Unbending

  New York Times · Sunday, December 1, 2024 · 5 letters

• Exacting

  New York Times · Sunday, September 1, 2024 · 5 letters

• Hard-nosed

  New York Times · Wednesday, May 1, 2024 · 5 letters

• Sailor's rear

  New York Times · Sunday, May 21, 2023 · 5 letters

More clues from this crossword

• 25-Down Like key lime pie
• 26-Across High flier
• 27-Down "___ just so happens ..."
• 28-Across Euclid's "Elements," Descartes's "La Géométrie," etc.?
• 28-Down Raincoats, to Brits
• 29-Down ___ Page, N.F.L. Hall-of-Famer turned justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court
• 30-Down Skater Lipinski
• 32-Across In the fashion of
• 33-Across Display at the Getty
• 34-Across Target
• 35-Down 1,003, in Roman numerals
• 36-Down "Thunderstruck" rock band