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Person added to the staff - NYT The Mini Clue
Across
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The clue includes wordplay: in golf, a "chip" is a short, precise shot near the green. In computer hardware, a "chip" refers to a small electronic component that processes data. The dual meanings make "CHIP" the perfect answer.
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The answer "DRIVE" works because, in golf, a "drive" is a powerful shot made with a driver club. In computing, a "drive" refers to hardware that stores or reads data, like a hard drive. The clue uses wordplay to link these two meanings.
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AARON is the solution because Aaron Sorkin is a famous screenwriter, known for works like "The West Wing," "The Social Network," and "A Few Good Men." The clue directly references his first name.
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The answer "INERT" fits the clue "Nonreactive, chemically" because, in chemistry, inert substances do not readily react with other substances. They are stable and unreactive under standard conditions, such as noble gases like helium and argon. This definition aligns perfectly with the clue's description.
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The clue "Bye-bye!" is enclosed in quotes, signaling it’s a spoken phrase. "SEEYA" is a colloquial, informal way of saying "see you," which people commonly use when parting, aligning perfectly with the farewell sentiment conveyed by "Bye-bye!".
Down
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The solution "CRANE" refers to a bird commonly folded in origami, especially in Japanese culture, where the crane is a symbol of peace and longevity. This aligns directly with the clue "Origami bird," as the origami crane is one of the most iconic paper-folding designs.
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The clue "Person added to the staff" directly refers to someone newly employed or brought onto a team. The term "hiree" specifically means a person who has been hired. It fits perfectly as the answer, aligning with the definition and clue phrasing.
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IVORY is the solution because the Parthenon Athena and the statue of Zeus at Olympia were created using a technique called chryselephantine. This method involved crafting statues with gold and ivory: gold for garments and ivory to plate the skin, representing purity and grandeur in ancient Greek art.
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The clue "Five: Prefix" directly points to a prefix meaning "five." "PENTA" is the Greek-based prefix that denotes the number five, commonly seen in words like "pentagon" (a shape with five sides) or "pentathlon" (a contest with five events). Hence, PENTA is the correct answer.
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The answer "DAIS" refers to a raised platform typically used for public speaking or formal events. A speaker often stands on a dais to address an audience, aligning perfectly with the clue "Speaker's platform." It’s a direct and well-known association.
Today’s Game Difficulty
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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Person added to the staff 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.
Person added to the staff Answer Explained
The answer is HIREE.
This is one of those clues where the grammar helps guide you. “Person added to the staff” is a passive construction, something has happened to this person. That rules out words like “recruiter” or “employer” and shifts the focus to the person being brought in, not doing the hiring. So I start thinking: What do we call someone who’s just been hired? “Newbie”? Too informal. “Employee”? A bit too general. HIREE is the crossword-friendly word that describes exactly that: someone who’s been hired. It’s formed from “hire” + “-ee,” a suffix that usually means someone who receives an action (like in “nominee” or “trainee”).
Now that you've cracked the 2D Person added to the staff 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 Mini by Joel Fagliano brings us back to the regular 5x5 format after Saturday's 'extrawide' puzzle. It’s a solid grid with a nice mix of science, pop culture, workplace lingo, and a bit of ancient history. There’s also a fun theme connection between two clues that share wording, which can make solving feel more like a riddle. A few entries lean on crossword-specific vocabulary, but overall, it’s a classic Mini, tight and clean.
Here’s what caught our attention today:
- Golf shot that's also a piece of computer hardware
- Nonreactive, chemically
- Material used to plate the skin of the Parthenon Athena and the statue of Zeus at Olympia
- Speaker's platform
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.