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Wear away - NYT The Mini Clue
Across
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The phrase "ready, willing, and able" is a common expression used to indicate full preparedness or capability. "Able" completes this trio as the partner of "ready" and "willing," representing the capacity or power to act, aligning perfectly with the clue.
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The answer "ROAR" fits because it describes a loud, enthusiastic sound often made by a delighted crowd, such as during a sports game or concert. The clue suggests a nonverbal expression, and "ROAR" captures the collective excitement or approval of a cheering group.
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The clue hinges on letterplay and context: “Mamdani” shares its first two letters with MAYOR, which he now is as New York’s newly elected leader. A neat, timely twist that links real-world news with a crossword-style hint.
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The answer "REDO" fits the clue "Second chance" because to redo something means to try again or do it over, effectively giving you another opportunity or a second chance to complete or improve it. The term directly aligns with the clue's meaning.
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The clue "Played Pictionary, perhaps" signals wordplay. In Pictionary, players illustrate words or phrases for teammates to guess. One who "played" Pictionary likely drew pictures as part of the game, making "DREW" the fitting answer.
Down
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The clue "Sleeve filler" refers to what naturally fills a sleeve in clothing. An arm is the body part that fits into a sleeve, making it the precise and logical answer. The phrasing is direct with no hidden wordplay.
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The solution "BOARD" fits because a chess set comprises multiple elements, including pieces and the chessboard. The board is the flat, checkered surface on which the game is played, making it an essential component of the set.
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The answer is LAYER because adding a layer of clothing, like a sweater or jacket, provides extra insulation and warmth. The clue directly refers to the act of layering clothing to stay warm, making "layer" an apt and straightforward solution.
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The answer "ERODE" fits the clue "Wear away" because the word "erode" means to gradually wear down or be worn away, often due to natural forces like water, wind, or friction—precisely describing the process of wearing away over time.
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"Get your ducks in a row" is a common idiom that means to organize or arrange things neatly and efficiently. A "row" refers to a straight, orderly line, which aligns with the idea of ducks positioned neatly together. Hence, ROW is the answer.
Today’s Game Difficulty
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Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 5-letter answer to the Wear away 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.
Wear away Answer Explained
The answer is ERODE.
“Wear away” reads like a succinct, physical-action definition: think of cliffs, metal, or fabric gradually losing material. ERODE is the classic verb for that gradual attrition (slower than abrade, broader than corrode) and fits the short, direct phrasing of the clue. Etymologically, it traces to Latin roots meaning “to gnaw out,” which matches the sense of being eaten away over time. In crosswords, “wear away” very frequently signals ERODE, so solvers familiar with common answers will see this as a standard, economical fill especially once a few crossings confirm the E or O.
Now that you've cracked the 4D Wear away 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
Joel Fagliano’s Thursday Mini blends language play with everyday themes. Solvers move through clues about chess equipment, layered clothing, and artistic party games, plus a proverb about ducks that hides an idiom in plain sight. The standout clue involves a title sharing letters with “Mamdani,” a trick that demands close reading. Others rely on precise word meanings—like actions that sound ordinary but shift tense or context. A compact, clever puzzle that rewards careful parsing over speed.
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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