The clue "Gaping hole" directly describes a large, deep opening in the earth or a significant void, which is the definition of a CHASM. The word "gaping" emphasizes the wide, open nature of the hole, perfectly aligning with the meaning of CHASM.
6Conversation openerHELLO?????✨ See Why
The clue "Conversation opener" suggests a common way to start a dialogue. "HELLO" is a universally recognized greeting used to initiate conversations, perfectly fitting the straightforward definition provided by the clue. It directly refers to the act of beginning communication.
7AEIOU?????✨ See Why
The clue uses wordplay with "Group of five" referring to the five vowels: A, E, I, O, U. These vowels can be found within the names "Julia Roberts" and "Austin Powers," making AEIOU the correct answer. It's a clever nod to linguistic elements hidden in the names.
8Ben of BroadwayPLATT?????✨ See Why
The answer "PLATT" refers to Ben Platt, a well-known Broadway actor and singer. He gained fame for his Tony-winning performance in the musical Dear Evan Hansen. The clue directly hints at his prominence in Broadway, making "PLATT" the fitting solution.
9SHH???✨ See Why
The clue "Keep it down!" is in quotes, signaling a spoken phrase or sound. "Shh" is a common expression used to quietly request silence, effectively meaning "Keep it down!" This makes SHH the perfect, concise solution to the clue.
Down
1BlokeCHAP????✨ See Why
The clue "Bloke" refers to a slang term for a man, often used in British English. "Chap" is a direct synonym for "bloke," commonly used in the same regions to mean a man or guy. This makes CHAP the perfect fit for the clue.
2Inside part of a golf clubHEEL????✨ See Why
The "heel" is the part of a golf club where the clubhead connects to the shaft, typically on the inside edge near the golfer. The clue "Inside part of a golf club" directly refers to this specific section of the club.
3A.k.a. nameALIAS?????✨ See Why
The clue "A.k.a. name" refers to "also known as," which indicates an alternative name or pseudonym someone might use. The term "alias" directly means an alternate name or identity, fitting perfectly as the answer to this clue.
4SLOTH?????✨ See Why
In Disney’s "Zootopia," the character Flash is a sloth who works at the DMV. Sloths are naturally known for their extremely slow movements, and Flash humorously extends this trait to his speech, making "sloth" the perfect answer for this clue about an animal talking comically slowly.
5Conversation opener?MOUTH?????✨ See Why
The clue "Conversation opener?" includes a question mark, indicating a play on words. The "opener" for a conversation is metaphorically a mouth, as it is the body part used to speak and start a dialogue. The pun ties the literal and figurative meanings together.
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Ben of Broadway 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.
Ben of Broadway Answer Explained
The answer is PLATT.
This clue is testing your Broadway and pop culture chops. “Ben of Broadway” refers to Ben Platt, a star known for originating the lead role in Dear Evan Hansen, a hugely successful musical. You might know him from movies (Pitch Perfect) or even from his solo music career, but “of Broadway” narrows it down to his stage credentials. Other Bens (like Ben Affleck or Ben Stiller) might come to mind first, but they don't belong in the world of Broadway, making PLATT the clear fit once you connect the dots. A niche clue, for sure, but fair for anyone familiar with recent musical theater hits.
Now that you've cracked the 8A Ben of Broadway 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 Sunday Mini by Joel Fagliano comes with a subtle but satisfying bit of wordplay, classic Joel! There’s a clever contrast between two clues that both use the phrase “conversation opener”, but one ends with a question mark and the other doesn’t. That punctuation choice signals a shift in meaning: one is straightforward and literal, while the other hints at a more playful or figurative take. It’s a small twist, but it rewards solvers who pay close attention to clue tone. Aside from that, the puzzle touches on pop culture, sports, and a couple of nice vocabulary moments, all packed into a tidy Sunday grid.
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.