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Cream of the crop - NYT The Mini Clue
Across
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The clue "Picture holder" refers to something that physically holds a picture. A FRAME is a structure, often made of wood, metal, or plastic, designed to hold and display photographs, paintings, or other artwork. It clearly fits as the solution here.
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The clue “New spin on an old song” uses wordplay. A REMIX is a reworked version of an existing song, often adding a fresh “spin” or style. The phrase captures the idea of transforming the original piece into something updated or different, aligning perfectly with the clue.
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The phrase "Cream of the crop" refers to the best or most superior part of a group. "Elite" aligns perfectly with this meaning, as it describes a select, top-tier group of individuals or things that are the highest in quality or rank, matching the clue's intent exactly.
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Hobbes is a character from the comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes" by Bill Watterson. He is Calvin's stuffed animal tiger, who appears as a real tiger in Calvin's imagination. Thus, "TIGER" accurately describes Hobbes' identity in the strip.
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The formula for profit is revenue minus expenses. "Expenses" in simpler terms represent "cost," making COST the correct answer. This aligns with the basic accounting principle: Profit = Revenue - Cost. The clue directly reflects this mathematical relationship.
Down
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The answer "FRET" works because to "fret" means to worry or be distressed, which aligns with the definition of "agonize (over)." The word "over" in parentheses suggests this mental preoccupation or anxiety, perfectly captured by "FRET."
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The clue references Indiana Jones, an archaeologist famously known for retrieving ancient, valuable artifacts. The word "perhaps" and the question mark hint at a playful interpretation. A "relic" is a historical or sacred item, fitting perfectly as something Indiana Jones might carry in his satchel during his adventures.
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The clue "Compadre" directly translates to "friend" or "buddy" in English, with its origin in Spanish. Since "Amigo" is the Spanish word for friend, it perfectly matches the clue, maintaining both the meaning and linguistic context.
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The clue "Itty-bitty biters" refers to tiny creatures that bite. MITES are microscopic arachnids, known for their tiny size ("itty-bitty") and ability to "bite," often causing irritation. The playful alliteration in the clue matches the short, fitting answer.
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The answer "EXERT" fits because to "wield" influence means to actively use or apply it. "EXERT" specifically means to apply force, effort, or influence, aligning perfectly with the clue’s meaning. Both terms involve taking deliberate action to assert power or control.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Easy
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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Cream of the crop 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.
Cream of the crop Answer Explained
The answer is ELITE.
When I see “cream of the crop,” I immediately think of a phrase that refers to the very best. The idiom "cream rises to the top" talks about the top tier, the most skilled or successful. ELITE fits perfectly here. You might briefly think of words like “best” or “top,” but those either don’t match the number of letters or aren’t quite elevated enough in tone. ELITE has that more formal, almost exclusive feeling that aligns with the clue’s wording. This is a classic way crosswords use idioms to guide us to specific, concise answers.
Now that you've cracked the 7A Cream of the crop 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
A quick Wednesday Mini by Ian Livengood, nothing too tricky today. We get a fun mix of topics: music, classic comics, economics, and adventure films. It’s the kind of puzzle where everything falls into place smoothly!
Here’s what caught our attention today:
- Hobbes in "Calvin and Hobbes," for one
- Item in Indiana Jones's satchel, perhaps
- Itty-bitty biters
- Wield, as influence
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.