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What airballs fail to touch - NYT The Mini Clue
Across
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The clue refers to Everest and Kilimanjaro, which are both mountains. The abbreviation "MTS" stands for "mountains," aligning with the plural nature of the clue. The abbreviation matches the format of the clue, making MTS the correct answer.
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The clue "A little horse" uses wordplay. "A little" refers to something small or young, and "horse" suggests the equine family. A young horse is called a FOAL, which perfectly fits the description. The word "little" cleverly hints at youth rather than size.
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The clue "A little hoarse" describes a voice quality that's rough or harsh, resembling someone mildly losing their voice. "Raspy" specifically means a scratchy or hoarse sound, perfectly matching "a little hoarse." It captures the intended slightly rough vocal tone in the clue.
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The clue "Perfect" seeks a synonym for something flawless or exemplary. "Ideal" fits as it describes a model of perfection or the best possible example of something, aligning precisely with the meaning of the clue. No wordplay or additional hints complicate this straightforward definition.
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The clue contrasts professionally staged houses, which are tidy and organized for show, with their opposite. “Messy” aptly describes a house that’s unkempt or disorganized, the opposite of the neat appearance professionals create during staging. This straightforward logic makes "MESSY" the fitting solution.
Down
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MOSES is the answer because he is the central figure in the Exodus story commemorated during Passover. He led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, a pivotal moment retold during the Seder. MOSES' role as a liberator and prophet makes him the "hero" of this Jewish holiday.
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The clue "Spanish small plates" directly describes TAPAS, which are traditional Spanish appetizers or small dishes often served in bars and restaurants. The term "small plates" refers to their size, and "Spanish" indicates the cuisine, making TAPAS the perfect fit for the clue.
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The word "SLYLY" directly conveys acting in a sneaky or cunning manner. It aligns with the clue "In a sneaky way" as the adverbial form of "sly," describing behavior that is stealthy or secretive. The repetition of "LY" also suggests subtlety, mirroring a sly approach.
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The answer "FADE" fits the clue "Lessen over time" because the word "fade" means to gradually diminish or lose intensity, brightness, or strength over a period of time—perfectly capturing the idea of something lessening progressively. This aligns with the clue's straightforward, non-punny phrasing.
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In basketball, an "airball" is a shot that completely misses the hoop and the backboard, meaning it fails to touch the rim as well. The clue directly refers to this definition, making "RIM" the fitting answer.
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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 3-letter answer to the What airballs fail to touch 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.
What airballs fail to touch Answer Explained
The answer is RIM.
This one’s for the basketball fans. An “airball” is a shot that misses everything, it doesn’t touch the backboard, the net, or most importantly, the RIM. That’s the metal hoop the ball is supposed to go through. The clue cleverly leads you to think in reverse, not what the ball hits, but what it misses. You might briefly think “net” or “hoop,” but RIM is the most precise term for what an airball fails to make contact with. A solid, sporty clue that rewards both general knowledge and attention to what’s not happening.
Now that you've cracked the 5D What airballs fail to touch 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 Tuesday Mini by Joel Fagliano is a tight, clever little puzzle with a fun mix of wordplay and surface trickery. There’s a nice pair of clues that play on sound-alike phrases, plus a sports reference and a seasonal nod for good measure. A couple of entries rely on knowing everyday lingo and idioms, while others test your vocabulary precision. Quick but satisfying!
Here’s what caught our attention today:
- Everest and Kilimanjaro: Abbr.
- A little horse
- A little hoarse
- Unlike houses that have been professionally staged
- Hero of the Passover Seder
- Spanish small plates
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.
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