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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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COWS is the answer because the "Eat Mor Chikin" campaign was famously created by the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain. In these humorous ads, cows encourage people to eat chicken instead of beef to "save themselves." The clue references this iconic advertising theme, making COWS the clear solution.
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MANIA fits as a suffix for both "Beatle" and "Wrestle" to describe an intense enthusiasm or obsession. "Beatlemania" refers to the fan frenzy surrounding The Beatles, and "WrestleMania" is the name of a famous professional wrestling event. Hence, MANIA is the correct answer.
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The clue "Au revoir!" is in French, signaling a French-language answer. "Au revoir" translates to "goodbye" or "farewell." ADIEU is also a French word meaning "goodbye," specifically a more formal or final farewell, making it the correct solution here.
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The clue "Ugly poster?" uses a pun. Here, "poster" doesn't refer to a sign or advertisement but someone who posts online. A "troll" is an internet poster known for intentionally posting offensive or provocative content—hence, "ugly" behavior online. The wordplay connects the two meanings.
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The answer "TEND" fits because it means to have a natural inclination or be likely to do something. For example, if someone "tends to" forget keys, they're likely to forget them. Perfectly aligns with the clue's phrasing "Be likely (to)."
Down
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The solution "CADRE" is correct because it refers to a core or central group, often of trained or skilled individuals, that forms the nucleus of a larger organization, movement, or team. The term is frequently used for groups essential to structure and function, fitting the clue "Core group."
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The answer is ONION because a mirepoix is a classic culinary base made by sautéing diced onion, celery, and carrot. These three vegetables are traditionally combined in French cooking to enhance the flavors of sauces, soups, and stews. Onion is an essential part of this trio.
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The clue "Handle, as a sword" refers to the act of using or controlling a sword. The verb "WIELD" means to handle or manage something, especially a weapon like a sword, effectively during use, making it the perfect match for this clue.
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The answer is SAUL because "Better Call Saul" is the title of a popular spinoff series from "Breaking Bad." The series focuses on the life of Saul Goodman, a criminal lawyer, before he becomes Walter White’s attorney. The clue directly references this show.
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The answer is MATT because Matt Damon is a famous actor who appeared in the 2023 film Oppenheimer. The clue refers to his first name directly, connecting the actor to the movie noted in the clue.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Hard
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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
Today’s Thursday Mini by Joel Fagliano packs a nice mix of quick wins and a few trickier entries. We get pop culture nods, a bit of culinary vocabulary, and even some business and advertising references. There’s wordplay in places where the clue's meaning isn’t quite what it first seems, so careful reading pays off. A couple of answers require specific knowledge (brand campaigns or formal terms), while others are everyday words clued in fresh ways. Crossings are friendly enough that even the harder spots can be cracked once you’ve filled a few neighboring squares.
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.