The clue "Fancy party" directly points to GALA, which is a term for an extravagant, formal event often involving celebration, glamour, and attendees in elegant attire. The word "fancy" reinforces the idea of sophistication and formality associated with a GALA.
5Five ___ (discount store chain)BELOW?????✨ See Why
The answer "BELOW" refers to the popular discount store chain "Five Below," which sells items priced at $5 or less. The clue sets up recognition of this well-known store brand by providing part of its name, "Five ___," with "BELOW" completing it perfectly.
6Bottom stripe on a pride flagPURPLE??????✨ See Why
The LGBTQ+ pride flag originally designed by Gilbert Baker featured eight stripes, each with a meaning. The bottom stripe is PURPLE, symbolizing spirit. While some modern versions of the flag have fewer colors, PURPLE remains associated with pride flags, specifically at the bottom in iconic representations.
7Bedtime outfit, informallyJAMMIES???????✨ See Why
The answer "JAMMIES" is an informal or colloquial term for "pajamas," which are commonly worn as a bedtime outfit. The clue uses "informally" to signal that a casual, shortened form of the word "pajamas" is the correct solution.
8
Task to "run"
ERRAND??????✨ See Why
The clue "Task to 'run'" uses the phrase "run an errand," which means to fulfill a short, specific task or chore, often involving going somewhere quickly (e.g., picking up groceries or dropping something off). The wordplay connects "run" to its common usage with "errand." Hence, the answer is ERRAND.
9
Actress Keaton of "Father of the Bride"
DIANE?????✨ See Why
The answer is DIANE because Diane Keaton is the actress who played Nina Banks, the mother, in the movie "Father of the Bride" (1991) and its sequel. The clue directly refers to her by name and role in this well-known film.
10Car ride gameISPY????✨ See Why
The answer is ISPY because "I Spy" is a classic game often played during car rides. In this game, one person identifies an object they see and says, "I spy with my little eye something..." while others guess the object, making it a fitting solution for the clue.
Down
1Country in which the automobile, aspirin and the accordion were inventedGERMANY???????✨ See Why
GERMANY is the solution because it is the birthplace of these innovations: Karl Benz invented the automobile (1885), Felix Hoffmann synthesized aspirin (while working for Bayer), and the modern accordion was developed in Berlin (1822). These groundbreaking inventions trace back to German ingenuity.
2Mountain-relatedALPINE??????✨ See Why
The term "ALPINE" directly relates to mountains, as it describes things pertaining to high elevations or the Alps—one of the most famous mountain ranges. The clue "Mountain-related" is a straightforward definition, making ALPINE the perfect fit.
3Was audibly amused, slangilyLOLED?????✨ See Why
The answer "LOLED" refers to the slang abbreviation "LOL," meaning "laugh out loud." Adding "-ED" makes it past tense, fitting the clue's "Was audibly amused." The term is colloquial and reflects internet/modern slang, aligning with the hint "slangily" in the clue.
4Really impressesAWES????✨ See Why
The answer "AWES" makes sense because "to awe" someone means to deeply impress or astonish them. The clue "Really impresses" directly aligns with this definition, as being in awe reflects being truly amazed or overwhelmed by something remarkable.
5Unfair reputationBUMRAP??????✨ See Why
The clue "Unfair reputation" suggests a negative judgment or label that isn’t deserved. "BUM" can mean bad or unfair, and "RAP" is slang for a reputation or accusation. Together, "BUM RAP" refers to being unjustly blamed or criticized, aligning perfectly with the clue's meaning.
6Host of the 2024 Summer OlympicsPARIS?????✨ See Why
The answer is PARIS because the French capital was officially selected to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. The city won the bid in 2017, marking its third time hosting the Games after 1900 and 1924, making this a historically significant return after a century.
7
"Warrior-monks who keep peace in the universe," per George Lucas
JEDI????✨ See Why
The answer is JEDI because, in George Lucas's "Star Wars" universe, Jedi are depicted as warrior-monks who uphold peace and justice. They have spiritual discipline, follow the Force, and protect the galaxy from threats, aligning perfectly with the clue's description.
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 6-letter answer to the Mountain-related 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.
Mountain-related Answer Explained
The answer is ALPINE.
The word “mountain-related” is broad, but ALPINE is a more technical and geographic term, commonly used to describe anything associated with the Alps or high-altitude regions—like alpine skiing or alpine flora. You might be tempted by words like “steep” or “rocky,” but those describe mountain features, not a category. ALPINE is clean, precise, and widely used in outdoor or geographic contexts. It’s the best match for a clue that’s trying to describe something general but still tied to mountainous areas.
Now that you've cracked the 2D Mountain-related 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
Today's Saturday 7x7 Mini by Joel Fagliano features a clean, symmetrical grid with one sleek answer per line, satisfying for solvers who appreciate visual elegance. The clues touch on topics from shopping and classic games to cultural references, offering a well-balanced mix of difficulty and fun. A smart and tidy weekend solve.
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.