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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The clue "Common queries, informally" refers to frequently asked questions, commonly abbreviated as "FAQs." "Informally" hints at the abbreviation. FAQs are lists of answers to typical questions, making it a fitting answer for common queries.
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The clue asks for the only four-letter country name containing the letter "Q." IRAQ fits perfectly, as it is a four-letter country, and "Q" appears in its name. No other country's name matches these criteria, making IRAQ the correct answer.
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The answer is LOTUS because "The White Lotus" is a critically acclaimed TV series on HBO. The clue directly refers to the title of this show, and "Lotus" completes the blank in "The White ___". It's a straightforward reference to the series' name.
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The clue references the action of marking a message "as read," a common feature in digital communication. EMAIL fits perfectly as it is a type of message frequently marked this way in inboxes to manage unread messages. The wording matches this routine digital interaction.
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The clue "Late" directly defines the answer "TARDY," as both words mean not on time or delayed. This is a straightforward synonym clue, where "TARDY" is commonly used to describe lateness, especially in contexts like school or appointments.
Down
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The clue "___ mignon" refers to "filet mignon," a cut of beef known for its tenderness and quality. "Filet" completes the phrase. This French-derived term directly translates to "dainty filet" or "delicate slice," fitting the blank in the clue perfectly.
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The clue "Burnt toast has a strong one" refers to the distinctive smell emitted by burnt toast. The word "aroma" specifically refers to a noticeable scent, often strong or distinct. In this case, "AROMA" is the fitting answer, describing the noticeable scent of burnt toast.
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The clue asks for the only five-letter country containing a "Q." Qatar perfectly fits, as it is a five-letter country name with "Q" as the first letter. No other recognized country meets these criteria, making Qatar the unique and correct answer.
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The answer "SQUID" fits because the mythical kraken is often described as a giant sea creature with tentacles, resembling a cephalopod. Giant squids, real marine animals, match this description and could have inspired tales of the monstrous kraken seen in sailor lore or mythology.
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The clue "Sneaky" suggests someone or something cunning or underhanded. The word "sly" directly means being clever in a secretive or deceitful way, perfectly matching the definition of "sneaky." Its brevity and direct definition make it the ideal 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
Joel Fagliano’s Thursday Mini leans into Q-heavy fun, almost like a nod to Scrabble with its unusual letter choices. The grid has a clever double play on geography, which makes for a nice thematic throughline. Once you spot the Q-country angle, the whole puzzle falls quickly into place, making it less intimidating than it first appears. Aside from that bit of trivia, the rest of the fill is direct and solver-friendly, keeping the challenge light for a Thursday.
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 Pips Today - Hints & Solutions
- 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.