The clue refers to fictional doctors Dr. Gregory House from the TV show "House" and Dr. Doogie Howser from "Doogie Howser, M.D." The abbreviation "M.D.s" stands for "Medical Doctors," which both characters are. The "for short" signals the abbreviation.
4Dessert winePORT????✨ See Why
PORT is the answer because it is a type of fortified wine traditionally enjoyed as a dessert wine due to its sweet flavor. Originating from Portugal, port wine is often served with or after dessert, making it synonymous with the clue.
5Mugful after a sledding excursionCOCOA?????✨ See Why
The clue refers to a comforting, warm beverage typically enjoyed after chilly activities like sledding. A "mugful" suggests a drink served in a mug, and hot cocoa is a classic choice for warming up in cold weather, making "COCOA" the fitting and logical answer.
6Desert whine?IMHOT?????✨ See Why
The clue "Desert whine?" features wordplay indicated by the question mark. "Desert" references heat, and "whine" suggests complaining. Combined, "I'm hot" (IMHOT) is a complaint someone might make in a hot desert, cleverly tying the pun to the answer.
7
"Like, yesterday!"
ASAP????✨ See Why
The clue "Like, yesterday!" uses casual speech to imply urgency or immediacy. "ASAP" (short for "As Soon As Possible") captures this urgency perfectly, aligning with the idea of needing something done as if it were already overdue, i.e., "yesterday." Hence, ASAP fits well.
Down
1Chocolate-and-coffee drinkMOCHA?????✨ See Why
MOCHA is the solution because it refers to a popular drink combining chocolate and coffee flavors. The term originates from Mocha, Yemen, historically known for its coffee. The clue directly points to this blend of chocolate and coffee, making MOCHA the perfect match.
2SagDROOP?????✨ See Why
The clue "Sag" refers to something bending or drooping downward due to weight, pressure, or lack of support. "DROOP" perfectly captures this definition, as it describes the act of sagging or hanging loosely, aligning directly with the meaning of the clue.
3Three-point percentage, e.g.STAT????✨ See Why
The answer "STAT" is short for "statistic," which in sports refers to numerical data that tracks performance. A "three-point percentage" is a basketball statistic that measures how many three-point shots a player or team makes relative to attempts, making it an example of a STAT.
4Poofy toy dogs, familiarlyPOMS????✨ See Why
The answer "POMS" is short for Pomeranians, a breed of small, fluffy, toy-sized dogs. The term "poofy" reflects their thick, voluminous coats, and "familiarly" signals the use of an informal nickname often used for them. Hence, "POMS" perfectly fits the clue.
5Org. that employs Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy novelsCIA???✨ See Why
The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) is the U.S. government agency where Jack Ryan works in Tom Clancy's novels. As an intelligence expert and field agent, Ryan carries out missions tied to the CIA's operations, making it the correct answer for this organization clue.
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 4-letter answer to the Three-point percentage, e.g. 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.
Three-point percentage, e.g. Answer Explained
The answer is STAT.
Here we’re in the world of sports, basketball specifically. A three-point percentage is a numerical value that shows how often a player makes three-point shots. The clue says “e.g.” which means it’s asking for a category this belongs to, not the number itself. So what kind of thing is a three-point percentage? A STAT, short for statistic. This clue plays on the idea that many sports figures and fans know players by their stats, and three-pointers are a key basketball metric. If you’re not a sports person, it might take crosses to land, but it’s a clean clue once parsed.
Now that you've cracked the 3D Three-point percentage, e.g. 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 Friday Mini by Christina Iverson brings a playful mix of wordplay and warm comforts. The standout is a clever homophone pun pairing a “dessert wine” with a “desert whine,” two clues that sound similar but lead in totally different directions. There’s also a cozy drink theme running through the puzzle, with two rich, chocolatey beverages making an appearance. A sweet and satisfying Mini to end the week.
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.