NY Times Mini Logo

"Uhh, that is to say ..." - NYT The Mini Clue

Across

  • The clue "Part of a fleet" refers to a group of ships. A single vessel within a fleet is called a "SHIP," making it the correct answer. Fleets are typically composed of multiple ships, so a SHIP is indeed a part of a fleet.

  • TIME is the solution because it metaphorically "devours" all living and non-living things — birds, beasts, trees, and flowers — through the process of aging, decay, or erosion. Gollum’s riddle describes TIME's inescapable, all-encompassing power to consume everything, aligning perfectly with this answer.

  • The clue "See ya!" is enclosed in quotes, indicating it's a casual, spoken phrase. "LATER" is a common informal way to say goodbye or "see you later," matching the tone and intent of the clue. It fits perfectly as an equivalent expression.

  • EMMA is the correct answer because it consistently ranks just behind Olivia in lists of the most popular baby girl names in the U.S. during the 2020s, as recorded by organizations tracking naming trends like the Social Security Administration. The clue directly references this statistical fact.

  • The clue "Not keeping secrets" suggests transparency or revealing information. The word OPEN aligns perfectly, as it describes being honest, exposed, or accessible—attributes inherently opposite to secrecy. Hence, "OPEN" fits as the solution, denoting a state of openness or sharing rather than concealing.

Down

  • The clue "Sticker on an envelope" refers to something that is physically adhered to an envelope. A postage stamp is a small adhesive label that serves as proof of payment for sending mail. Since a stamp literally "sticks" to an envelope, the answer is STAMP.

  • In blackjack, when a player requests another card, they say "Hit me," signaling the dealer to deal them another card. The phrase in quotes directly reflects this spoken request, making "HITME" the perfect match for the clue.

  • The clue "Uhh, that is to say ..." mimics conversational speech, signaling a phrase often used to clarify or rephrase. "I mean" (IMEAN) is a common verbal filler that serves this purpose, aligning perfectly with the informal tone and structure of the clue provided.

  • The abbreviation "m.p.h." stands for "miles per hour." The "p" in this context represents "per," which links miles to hours in expressing speed. Hence, the answer "PER" fits the clue perfectly.

  • This refers to the very recent papal election. Leo is the name the new pope chose. It’s a classic papal name, used 13 times before. Even if you missed the news, knowing Leo is a common name for popes could lead you to the right answer.

Today’s Game Difficulty

2.7 / 5
Normal

Rate Your Difficulty

Rate This Solver

View Yesterday's Puzzle

Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the "Uhh, that is to say ..." 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.

"Uhh, that is to say ..." Answer Explained

The answer is IMEAN.

Again, the quotation marks here are a big clue that we’re looking for a spoken phrase, something you might say in casual conversation. “Uhh, that is to say …” sounds like someone correcting themselves or rephrasing something. I think of what I’d say in that situation. Probably “I mean.” It’s one of those filler phrases we all use when we’re trying to clarify or backtrack. “Like” or “uhh” are other options people say, but they don’t quite match the full feel of the clue. “I MEAN” does, it’s a smooth, natural fit for this kind of self-correction.

Now that you've cracked the 3D "Uhh, that is to say ..." 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 Thursday Mini by Joel Fagliano is on the gentler side, nothing too tricky, but still fun to work through. The puzzle touches on topics from Tolkien lore to blackjack tables, with a dash of baby name stats and a classic postal item. A nice mix of pop culture, language, and everyday things!

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.

Leaderboards

It’s an additional social resource provided by NYT. You can add friends (up to 100 invitees) to track daily completion and compete.

Lady Puzzle Pro Avatar