The clue “Endangers” directly implies putting something or someone in harm’s way or jeopardy. The word "RISKS" aligns as it means exposing someone or something to potential danger or harm, making it a synonym and the appropriate solution for the clue.
6"Bloomin'" item at Outback SteakhouseONION?????✨ See Why
The answer is ONION because the "Bloomin' Onion" is a signature menu item at Outback Steakhouse. It is a large onion that is cut, battered, fried, and served with a dipping sauce. The clue’s pun, "Bloomin'," directly refers to this popular dish.
7Up the ___ (plentifully)WAZOO?????✨ See Why
"Up the ___ (plentifully)" is a lighthearted clue pointing to excess. WAZOO is slang often used in the phrase “up the wazoo,” meaning “in large amounts.” It’s a silly, exaggerated way to say there’s a lot of something, perfect for this playful clue.
8Lived (in)DWELT?????✨ See Why
The clue "Lived (in)" refers to residing or having a place of dwelling in the past. DWELT is the archaic past tense of "dwell," which means to live or reside in a place. The parentheses imply a slight rephrasing, making this a perfect fit.
9"You wanted to see me because ...?"YES???✨ See Why
The clue "You wanted to see me because ...?" mimics a conversational context. The answer, "YES," fits as a spoken response, implying agreement or confirmation of the meeting's purpose. The question mark signals wordplay, highlighting the interactive, verbal nature of the answer.
Down
1RambunctiousROWDY?????✨ See Why
The clue "Rambunctious" describes someone who is noisy, enthusiastic, or unruly—traits that align with the word "ROWDY." Both refer to boisterous, disorderly behavior, making ROWDY the apt synonym and solution.
2Totally blown awayINAWE?????✨ See Why
The phrase "Totally blown away" describes being deeply impressed or overwhelmed with wonder, which aligns with the state of being "INAWE." The term "awe" captures strong admiration or amazement, making INAWE the fitting solution for this clue.
3S, M and LSIZES?????✨ See Why
The clue "S, M and L" refers to small, medium, and large, which are common sizes for clothing or other items. The letters represent standard abbreviations for these sizes, making "SIZES" the fitting answer. It's a straightforward interpretation of the abbreviations.
4___-Aid Man, mascot known for smashing through walls and yelling "Oh, yeah!"KOOL????✨ See Why
The answer is KOOL because the clue refers to the Kool-Aid Man, the well-known mascot for Kool-Aid beverages. He famously bursts through walls while shouting "Oh, yeah!" in commercials, making "KOOL" the perfect fit to complete "___-Aid Man."
5Pesky little twerpSNOT????✨ See Why
The clue "Pesky little twerp" is a playful, slightly informal way to describe an annoying or bratty person, often a child or someone acting immature. "SNOT" works here as slang for such an individual, referencing their irritating, cheeky, or misbehaving nature. It fits the tone perfectly!
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 3-letter answer to the "You wanted to see me because ...?" 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.
"You wanted to see me because ...?" Answer Explained
The answer is YES.
This one is clever because the entire clue is in quotation marks. In crossword clues, that often means you're looking for a conversational response, not a direct definition. Imagine someone awkwardly responding to the question, “You wanted to see me because...?” A simple, sheepish YES fits the tone perfectly. You might think of answers like “why” or “well,” but they don’t land as cleanly. “YES” is a common one-word comeback to a leading question, especially if you’re not sure how else to answer. Think about tone and social context, this clue relies on it.
Now that you've cracked the 9A "You wanted to see me because ...?" 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 Monday Mini by Ian Livengood is a smooth and timely solve, perfect for Memorial Day. You’ll spot nods to national themes, cookout classics, and maybe even a hint of summer fun. A few playful word choices keep things light, while the grid stays accessible. A classic Monday warm-up with just the right touch of spirit 🇺🇸.
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.