The answer "STRIP" fits the clue "Piece of bacon" because bacon is typically cut into long, thin strips. The word "piece" refers to a portion or part, and "strip" specifically describes the shape of that portion, making it a precise and fitting solution.
6
Renter's contract
LEASE?????✨ See Why
The answer "LEASE" fits because it is a legal contract granting a renter the right to use a property for a specified time under agreed conditions, aligning perfectly with the clue "Renter's contract." This straightforward clue directly refers to a common term in property rentals.
7Country whose national bird is the peacockINDIA?????✨ See Why
The answer is INDIA because the national bird of India is the Indian peacock, also called the "peafowl." It's a significant cultural and national symbol in India, known for its vibrant, colorful feathers and association with Indian traditions and mythology.
8Layers of paintCOATS?????✨ See Why
The answer "COATS" fits because multiple layers of paint applied to a surface are commonly referred to as coats. For instance, when painting, one might apply a "first coat," "second coat," and so forth, making "COATS" a direct and logical solution for "Layers of paint."
9Make a mistakeERR???✨ See Why
The solution "ERR" fits "Make a mistake" because "err" is a verb meaning to be mistaken or incorrect. It directly matches the clue's definition and is a common term used to describe making an error or slip.
Down
1Piece of toastSLICE?????✨ See Why
The clue "Piece of toast" refers to a single portion of bread. A "slice" is a standard term for an individual piece of bread, typically toasted and served. Therefore, SLICE fits perfectly as the solution.
2Kind of saxophone played by Sonny Rollins and John ColtraneTENOR?????✨ See Why
The answer is TENOR because both Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane are legendary jazz saxophonists renowned for playing the tenor saxophone. The tenor saxophone is a common type of saxophone used in jazz, distinct for its rich, deep, and versatile sound.
3Weather forecast tool, either way you look at itRADAR?????✨ See Why
The answer is RADAR because it is a critical tool for weather forecasting, detecting precipitation and storms. The phrase "either way you look at it" is a wordplay hint: RADAR is a palindrome, meaning it reads the same forward and backward.
4
"___ just me ...?"
ISIT????✨ See Why
The phrase "___ just me ...?" represents casual, spoken language, often used to express doubt or seek confirmation. "Is it just me?" is a common conversational question matching this phrasing. The blank in the clue is filled by "ISIT," forming the complete, natural-sounding phrase.
5Pod groupPEAS????✨ See Why
The clue "Pod group" uses wordplay. A "pod" refers to a group for animals like whales, but it also refers to a vegetable pod, such as peas. Therefore, "PEAS" fits as the group typically found inside vegetable pods.
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Country whose national bird is the peacock 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.
Country whose national bird is the peacock Answer Explained
The answer is INDIA.
I start by latching onto “national bird” and “peacock.” A few nations revere peacocks symbolically, but only one officially designates it: India. The Indian peafowl is even on government stationery. I briefly thought about “Sri Lanka” (they feature the jungle fowl) and “Myanmar” (they use a peacock emblem), yet neither calls it a national bird. The clue’s wording (“the peacock,” singular) nudges me toward the definitive choice. Slotting IND- as the opening in the grid seals it. Once INDIA lands, the cross-letters usually confirm it instantly.
Now that you've cracked the 7A Country whose national bird is the peacock 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 Sunday’s 5x5 Mini by Joel Fagliano keeps it classic despite falling on Mother’s Day. No festive theme, but a tight grid with everyday language. You’ll find bits of music, weather, food, and casual conversation. Clean, breezy solving for a laid-back Sunday.
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.