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Enjoy a hill in chilly weather, say - NYT The Mini Clue

Across

  • RSVP is the solution because it stands for the French phrase "Répondez s'il vous plaît," meaning "Please respond." It's a customary request for confirming attendance to an event or party, making it the direct "answer" to a party invitation.

  • The clue "Bring to a bubble" directly describes the process of heating a liquid until bubbles form, which is called "boiling." "Boil" is the verb that matches this definition, making it the correct answer for the clue.

  • The answer "SUGAR" refers to the sugar pine, a tree known for its exceptionally large cones, which can reach nearly two feet in length. The clue is split with "8-Across," where "pine" completes the full tree name "SUGAR pine." Together, they describe this specific tree.

  • To fully understand why the answer is PINE, you need to refer to the clue for 6-Across. Crossword entries like "See 6-Across" indicate that the solution is directly tied to or completes the clue in 6-Across. Check that entry for context!

  • The answer is SLED because sledding is a common winter activity where one enjoys sliding downhill on snow, typically in cold ("chilly") weather. The phrase "enjoy a hill" hints at this recreational activity, making SLED the fitting solution.

Down

  • The clue "N.F.L. ball carriers, for short" points to players who primarily carry the football in the National Football League. "RBS" is short for "running backs," the position responsible for carrying the ball during rushing plays, aligning perfectly with the clue's phrasing.

  • The clue "Campbell's products" directly refers to Campbell's, a well-known brand famous for making SOUPS. The plural "products" matches the plural "soups," confirming the answer. Campbell's canned soups, like tomato or chicken noodle, are iconic and central to the brand, making "SOUPS" the clear solution.

  • The phrase "Candlelight ___" refers to an event or gathering typically held with candles, symbolizing quiet reflection, remembrance, or solidarity. A "vigil" often involves lighting candles, especially during peaceful protests, memorials, or prayers, making VIGIL the fitting answer.

  • The clue "It travels the high way" uses a pun. "High way" suggests it’s not a typical road but the sky. A PLANE travels through the skies, which is metaphorically referred to as a "high way," making it the perfect answer.

  • The maple leaf on Canada's flag is prominently red, as part of the country's official red and white color scheme. This clue refers directly to the distinctive red color of the maple leaf depicted in the center of the Canadian flag, making "RED" the correct answer.

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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 4-letter answer to the Enjoy a hill in chilly weather, say 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.

Enjoy a hill in chilly weather, say Answer Explained

The answer is SLED.

“Enjoy a hill in chilly weather, say” could point to skiing, tubing, or sledding, lots of cold-weather fun fits. The “say” signals it’s just one example, not the only option. Minis like short, direct words, so once the D from a crossing appears, SLED stands out as the clear choice.

Now that you've cracked the 9A Enjoy a hill in chilly weather, say 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

This Friday Mini by Joel Fagliano packs in more wordplay than you might expect for the format. We get a sports clue straight from the playbook, something that’s a regular in the full-sized daily puzzle but not as common in the Mini. There’s also a playful winter activity clue, a clever twist on “the high way,” and even a cross-referenced pair that requires you to connect two entries for the full picture. None of them are overly tough once you spot the angle, but they each have that satisfying “aha” moment that makes the solve feel lively and rewarding.

Here’s what caught our attention today:

About NYT The Mini

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.

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