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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The answer "BONES" fits because dinosaur exhibits in museums typically showcase fossils, which are primarily the preserved bones of dinosaurs. These bones represent the skeletal structure, making them key components of such displays. The clue directly points to what these exhibits prominently feature.
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The "Smiling Face with Sunglasses" is a specific depiction of an EMOJI, which are small digital images or icons used in messaging to express emotions, objects, or ideas. The clue's phrasing ("for one") hints at this being a representative example of the broader category of EMOJIS.
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The answer is EASEL because it is the stand commonly used by painters to hold their canvases steady while they work. The clue "Painter's stand" directly references this essential artist's tool, making EASEL the perfect fit. It’s a literal interpretation, not requiring any wordplay.
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The answer is CHECK because the clue references the common hand gesture of signing the air, mimicking writing, to signal a request for the check (bill) at a restaurant. This nonverbal action directly relates to asking for the bill.
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The clue "Overly slapdash" suggests carelessness or rushing through something without thorough attention. "HASTY" directly conveys acting too quickly or without proper thought, matching the definition of slapdash behavior. The word fits as a synonym for being overly rushed or careless in action, making it the ideal solution.
Down
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The answer is BEECH because the BEECH tree is well-known for its smooth, light gray bark. Unlike many other trees with rough or fissured bark, the BEECH’s distinctively smooth surface makes it a perfect fit for this clue.
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OMAHA is the correct answer because it is a prominent city in Nebraska known as the headquarters of Union Pacific Railroad, one of the largest freight railroad networks in the United States. This establishes its relevance to the clue directly referencing a Nebraska city tied to Union Pacific.
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The answer is NOSES because bloodhounds are renowned for their extraordinary sense of smell. Their noses have about 300 million scent receptors, far more than humans, making their scent-detecting ability roughly 1,000 times stronger, aligning perfectly with the clue's description of this feature.
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The clue "Boot from a game" uses "boot" metaphorically, meaning to remove or expel, which aligns with "eject." In gaming or sports contexts, a player can be "ejected" for breaking rules. Hence, EJECT is the perfect fit to describe being removed from a game.
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The blank in "___ smooth" calls for a word that pairs naturally with "smooth" to describe texture or feel. "Silky" fits perfectly, as it means soft, smooth, and fine, often associated with the texture of silk. The clue suggests a descriptive, tactile word, making SILKY the answer.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Easy
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Hit a roadblock solving today's NYT The Mini? Lady Puzzle is happy to lend a hand. Click her for hints, reveal the entire puzzle, uncover squares one by one, or explore clue answers. Whatever solving style you prefer, this is your go-to tool for finishing NYT's The Mini Crossword!
Today’s NYT Mini Highlights
Ian Livengood’s Thursday Mini is a breezy solve. Every answer is five letters, and the grid has no black squares, giving it a clean, open feel. While a couple of clues might cause a moment’s pause, most are straightforward, and even the trickier ones fall quickly with help from the crossings. It’s an easy, elegant puzzle with a smooth solving flow, perfect for a fast Thursday warm-up.
Today's Tricky Wordplay
Here's what caught our attention today:
What is NYT The Mini Crossword?
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.
Today's NYT Puzzle Guides by LadyPuzzle Pro
- Today's Wordle
- Connections Hint Today
- NYT Crossword Answers Today
- Strands Answers Today
- Spelling Bee Hints
- Connections Sports Edition (The Athletic)
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 a 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.