NY Times Crossword
NY Times Wordle
NY Times Connections
NY Times Connections Sports Edition
NY Times Strands
NY Times Spelling Bee
Word Salad
Contexto
Blossom
Betweenle
Conexo
Anagram Solver
Scrabble Word Finder
Words With Friends Word Finder
Play Zorzzle
Browser Extension
Almost *too* sophisticated and charming - NYT The Mini Clue
Across
-
The phrase "Hit the sack" is a common idiom meaning to go to bed or sleep. "Sack" historically refers to a bag or sack used as a mattress, so the clue is asking for the word completing this familiar expression. Hence, the answer is SACK.
-
The answer is SUSHI because the clue plays on the misleading expectation that a sub or shish kebab restaurant might sell traditional sandwiches or grilled skewers. Instead, it humorously redirects to "SUSHI," which is entirely unrelated to subs or shish kebabs, emphasizing the pun and misdirection in the name.
-
The answer "TAPAS" is a pun. A taco/pasta restaurant might misleadingly advertise itself as "TAPAS" due to the wordplay: "TAPAS" sounds like "tacos" and "pasta" combined, though tapas are actually small Spanish appetizers. The question mark signals this playful misdirection.
-
In sports betting, certain bets revolve around predicting if a total (like points scored) will be over a specified number. These are called "overs." The clue "Certain sports bets" refers to this type of wager, making OVERS the fitting answer.
-
The answer "PENT" refers to being confined or restricted, much like "cooped up" suggests being trapped or enclosed. "Pent" is the past tense of "pen," which means to confine, aligning perfectly with the clue's context.
Down
-
The clue "Almost too sophisticated and charming" hints at someone polished, elegant, and overly smooth. SUAVE fits perfectly, describing a person who is charming and refined, often to an excessive or exaggerated degree—hence "almost too." It conveys sophistication with elegance.
-
ASPEN is the answer because it is a renowned upscale skiing destination in Colorado, famous for luxury resorts, high-end amenities, and world-class ski slopes. The clue directly references its reputation as a premier skiing location.
-
The phrase "Word after bar or pie" describes terms commonly paired with "bar" and "pie." A "bar chart" and a "pie chart" are both types of graphical data representations. The word "chart" follows both "bar" and "pie," making CHART the correct answer.
-
The clue "Smooch" directly defines the answer "KISS" as both words are synonyms referring to the act of pressing lips together in affection, love, or greeting. This straightforward single-word clue expects a synonymic response, making "KISS" the precise solution.
-
The answer is STOP because an eight-sided traffic sign refers to a stop sign, which is universally shaped as an octagon. The word "STOP" is prominently displayed on these signs to instruct drivers to halt their vehicles at intersections for safety.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Normal
Rate Your Difficulty
Rate This Solver
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Almost *too* sophisticated and charming clue? Don’t worry—Lady Puzzle Pro has you covered! Whether you want the answer right away, revealed letter by letter, or this wordplay seems too puzzling, keep reading for the explanation.
Almost *too* sophisticated and charming Answer Explained
The answer is SUAVE.
The word SUAVE describes someone polished and confident, often with an effortless charm. But the clue hints that there’s a bit too much of this quality, implying someone overly smooth, maybe even a little slick. If the clue were just "sophisticated and charming," words like "chic" or "classy" might fit, but the emphasis on "almost too" pushes it toward a description that can have a slight negative connotation like suave, debonair, or slick.
Now that you've cracked the 1D Almost *too* sophisticated and charming clue, you're one step closer to completing today’s Mini Puzzle! If you're still stuck on other clues, don't worry—we've got you covered. Explore more NYT Mini crossword answers right here, or check out our tools for solving the NYT Crossword, Connections, or Strands.
Today’s NYT Mini Highlights
This Thursday Mini by Joel Fagliano has a fun dose of wordplay, especially with a pair of clues that play on misleading restaurant names. That kind of trickiness rewards solvers who think outside the box! There’s also some sports betting terminology, a nod to geography with a luxury travel destination, and a common phrase with a missing word that might trip people up. Plus, a classic crossword staple related to traffic signs makes an appearance. A nice mix of misdirection and general knowledge, making for a well-balanced challenge!
Here’s what caught our attention today:
- Misleading name for a sub/shish kebab restaurant?
- Misleading name for a taco/pasta restaurant?
- Certain sports bets
- Cooped (up)
- Word on an eight-sided traffic sign
About NYT The Mini
NYT The Mini Crossword is a compact version of the New York Times Crossword puzzle. Usually 5 x 5, with larger grids on Saturdays, it offers mid-week equivalent difficulty clues with no progression over the week. It is accessible to anyone with or without a New York Times account. You can play it on nytimes.com/crosswords, The New York Times Games app (iOS and Android), and the Play tab of the New York Times News app. Games and All Access Subscribers can solve past Mini Crossword puzzles in the archive.
Daily Availability
Puzzles are accessible the evening before the publish date. Weekday and Saturday puzzles: 10 p.m. EST the previous day. Sunday puzzles: 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.
How to Play - Features and Tips
Fill white squares with letters to form intersecting words or phrases by solving clues in Across and Down columns. Read our guide to NYT Mini Mastery to learn how to read the different types of clues. Successfully completed puzzle triggers music and a congratulatory message.
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Arrow keys: Change direction within the same square, move in the direction of the arrow, jump back to the first blank in the word, or jump to the next clue.
- Spacebar: Clear the current square, advance, or toggle between Across and Down.
- Backspace (Delete on Macs): Remove words or a letter from a word.
- Tab key: Jump to the next clue.
- Shift + Tab keys: Jump to the previous clue.
- Escape: Enter Rebus mode.
- Pen and Pencil Modes. Switch between pen and pencil modes by selecting the respective icon. Letters in pen mode are black; in pencil mode, gray.
Letter Colors
Black: Default pen mode entries.
Gray: Pencil mode entries.
Blue: Confirmed letters with Check.
Mini Timer
Time your solving with the timer displayed above the puzzle. Pause/resume using the respective buttons. The timer restarts if the entire puzzle is cleared. Option to hide the timer in Puzzle settings.
In-game Help
- Reveal: Unveil correct letters for a square, answer, or the entire puzzle.
- Check: Verify correctness.
The answers you get using help are marked with a red triangle in the upper right-hand corner of the box while those confirmed with check become blue.
Leaderboards
It’s an additional social resource provided by NYT. You can add friends (up to 100 invitees) to track daily completion and compete.