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Weather forecast tool, either way you look at it - NYT The Mini Clue

Across

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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."

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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Easy

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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Weather forecast tool, either way you look at it 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.

Weather forecast tool, either way you look at it Answer Explained

The answer is RADAR.

“Either way you look at it” screams palindrome territory (words that read forward and backward). I search weather gear lists: “meter,” “sonar,” “radar.” SONAR isn’t palindromic; “meter” definitely isn’t. RADAR pops out: five letters, same both directions, and crucial in meteorology for tracking storms. I momentarily wonder about “model” or “app,” but the palindrome hint pushes them aside. Once the R--R pattern appears in the grid crossings, the answer reflects, literally, right back at me.

Now that you've cracked the 3D Weather forecast tool, either way you look at it 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.

Here’s what caught our attention today:

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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