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Easy to understand - NYT The Mini Clue
Across
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The answer "STOOP" fits because a stoop is the small outdoor staircase or platform in front of a home, especially in urban settings. It’s a perfect spot to sit, relax, and observe people passing by, making it a classic place for people-watching. The "maybe" hints at this common but situational use.
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The answer "AETNA" fits this clue because Aetna is one of the largest and most well-known health insurance companies in the United States. The phrase "Big name" directly refers to its prominence in the health insurance industry.
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The answer is USHER because an usher is a staff member in a Broadway theater whose job is to assist patrons by guiding them to their seats and providing general help during a performance, making them a "theater helper." The term directly aligns with the clue's straightforward meaning.
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The answer "CLEAR" fits the clue "Easy to understand" because something that is clear is straightforward, transparent, and free of confusion—making it easy to comprehend. The word perfectly matches the definition provided in the clue without any additional wordplay or trickery.
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The clue "When many show up to a job interview" hints at punctuality or eagerness. Many candidates arrive EARLY to make a good impression, prepare, or avoid being late. The answer reflects the common behavior of arriving ahead of schedule for job interviews.
Down
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The clue asks for the literal meaning of "salsa." "Salsa" is a Spanish word that directly translates to "sauce" in English. It refers to a flavorful condiment often used in cooking, which aligns perfectly with the answer, SAUCE.
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TESLA is the solution because it is a prominent electric car manufacturer founded in 2003. Known for innovative models like the Model S, X, 3, and Y, Tesla revolutionized the EV market. The clue directly points to the company's founding year and electric car focus.
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The phrase "... in one ear and out the ___" is a common idiom that expresses the idea of hearing something but not retaining it. The missing word to complete the phrase is "OTHER," as in "in one ear and out the other." This makes "OTHER" the correct answer.
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The answer is ONEAL because Tatum O'Neal won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar at age 10 for her role in Paper Moon (1973). Her last name, O'Neal, fits the blank in the clue identifying her as the youngest Oscar winner in history.
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In fencing, PARRY is a defensive action used to block or deflect an opponent's attack with the blade. The clue refers to a common fencing technique, making PARRY the correct answer as it directly describes this maneuver in the sport.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Normal
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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Easy to understand 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.
Easy to understand Answer Explained
The answer is CLEAR.
“Easy to understand” immediately makes me think of synonyms like simple, plain, or obvious. But CLEAR feels like the best match because it captures that sense of something being free of confusion. Other words could work in conversation but don’t fit crossword precision. CLEAR is a tidy, concise word, exactly what the puzzle needs.
Now that you've cracked the 8A Easy to understand 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 Sunday Mini by Sam Ezersky feels playful but grounded. Sam, known for his wordy twists in Spelling Bee, brings a bit of that here too, even if the puzzle isn’t overly tough. We get a nod to daily crossword tricks with six circled letters spelling out EAR twice, tying neatly into the clue "...in one ear and out the ___" (OTHER). It’s a small but satisfying touch of extra structure in a Mini. A fun balance of straightforward and crafty!
Here’s what caught our attention today:
- Outdoor spot to people-watch, maybe
- Big name in health insurance
- Broadway theater helper
- When many show up to a job interview
- What "salsa" literally means
- Electric car maker since 2003
- "... in one ear and out the ___"
- Tatum ___, youngest-ever Oscar winner (at age 10, for Best Supporting Actress)
- Defensive maneuver in fencing
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.