"Stogie" is a casual, slang term for a cigar. The clue specifies "informally," indicating the answer is not the formal term "cigar" but a relaxed nickname. The term "stogie" is derived from Conestoga wagons, whose drivers were known for smoking long cigars.
Across
The clue, "The 'I' of TGIF," asks what the letter "I" represents in the abbreviation TGIF. TGIF stands for "Thank God It’s Friday," where the "I" corresponds to "It's." The possessive pronoun "ITS" is the solution, fitting the clue perfectly.
4"Psych!"NOT???✨ See Why
The clue "Psych!" in quotes indicates a spoken, playful exclamation or phrase. "Psych!" is often used to mislead someone jokingly before revealing the truth, essentially saying “just kidding” or negating what was previously implied. Hence, the fitting answer here is "NOT," a common way to convey that negation in slang.
5Baby goatKID???✨ See Why
The solution "KID" is correct because a baby goat is specifically called a "kid" in zoological terms. This clue is straightforward with no wordplay or alternate meaning; it's simply asking for the proper term for a young goat.
8Batman villain played by Aaron Eckhart in "The Dark Knight"TWOFACE???????✨ See Why
The answer is TWOFACE because Aaron Eckhart plays Harvey Dent, who becomes the villain Two-Face in The Dark Knight. The name reflects his dual personality: one side as Gotham's former district attorney and the other as a scarred, vengeance-driven criminal. It directly ties to his character's transformation in the movie.
10Repressive governmentsREGIMES???????✨ See Why
The answer "REGIMES" fits because it refers to governing systems or administrations, often authoritarian or repressive in nature. The clue "Repressive governments" directly alludes to such control-heavy regimes, known for limiting freedoms and enforcing strict rules, aligning perfectly with the definition of the word.
11Folding artORIGAMI???????✨ See Why
The clue "Folding art" directly refers to ORIGAMI, the traditional Japanese art of folding paper into intricate shapes and designs without cutting or using glue. The word clearly connects "folding" to the creative "art" form, making ORIGAMI the perfect fit for the solution.
12Opposite direction of NNWSSE???✨ See Why
The clue asks for the opposite direction of NNW (north-northwest). On a compass, the opposite or reverse direction would be 180 degrees away. Opposite of NNW is SSE (south-southeast), which is directly across on the compass, making SSE the correct answer.
13Streaming issue caused by slow wi-fiLAG???✨ See Why
The answer "LAG" fits because in the context of streaming, slow wi-fi causes delays or interruptions in the video or audio flow, commonly referred to as "lag." This term specifically describes the technical issue of delayed data transfer impeding smooth streaming.
14Raggedy ___ (doll)ANN???✨ See Why
The answer is ANN because Raggedy Ann is a classic rag doll character created in 1915 by Johnny Gruelle. She’s well-known in American culture, often appearing alongside her brother, Raggedy Andy. The blank in the clue directly points to her name.
Down
1Icebreakers, e.g.INTROS??????✨ See Why
The clue "Icebreakers, e.g." refers to something that helps break the ice in social situations. INTROS (introductions) serve this purpose, as they are often the starting point for conversations and ease interactions in unfamiliar settings. The abbreviation "e.g." signals an example, fitting "introductions" perfectly.
2"The Two ___" (second installment of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy)TOWERS??????✨ See Why
The answer is TOWERS because "The Two Towers" is the title of the second installment in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The clue directly references the full title of the book, with the blank indicating the missing word to complete it.
3Cigar, informallySTOGIE??????✨ See Why
"Stogie" is a casual, slang term for a cigar. The clue specifies "informally," indicating the answer is not the formal term "cigar" but a relaxed nickname. The term "stogie" is derived from Conestoga wagons, whose drivers were known for smoking long cigars.
5Presidential candidate HarrisKAMALA??????✨ See Why
The answer is KAMALA because Kamala Harris is a prominent U.S. politician who ran as a presidential candidate in the 2020 election before becoming Vice President under Joe Biden. The clue directly references her by name, leading to this solution.
62026 #1 album for DrakeICEMAN??????✨ See Why
Released on May 15, 2026, ICEMAN is Drake’s ninth studio album. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, making him the male artist with the most #1 albums in history.
7Word after "interior" or "intelligent"DESIGN??????✨ See Why
The answer is DESIGN because "interior design" refers to the planning and styling of interior spaces, and "intelligent design" is a concept suggesting that certain features of the universe and life are best explained by purposeful creation. "Design" naturally follows both words in these common phrases.
9Kind of tree that the Buddha is said to have meditated underFIG???✨ See Why
The Buddha is said to have meditated under the Bodhi tree, a type of fig tree specifically known as the sacred fig (Ficus religiosa). Thus, "FIG" is the answer, referring to the type of tree historically linked to the Buddha's enlightenment.
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 6-letter answer to the Cigar, informally 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.
Cigar, informally Answer Explained
The answer is STOGIE.
“Cigar, informally” points you away from the standard word and toward something more slangy, which is the key signal in the clue. STOGIE is one of those classic informal terms for a cigar that shows up in crosswords more often than in everyday speech. It’s not always the first word that comes to mind, which is what makes it a bit tricky. If you already have a few crossing letters, that helps a lot, because otherwise you might be stuck thinking of more common options like “cigar” itself or even brand names. Once it clicks, though, STOGIE feels very crossword-friendly: short, vowel-heavy, and a familiar bit of puzzle vocabulary.
Now that you've cracked the 3D Cigar, informally 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
Finished today’s bigger Saturday Mini from Joel Fagliano with a really satisfying, symmetrical lok and feel. I moved quickly through the shorter Across answers at the start and end, which helped build momentum. ORIGAMI was an easy grab with the “folding art” clue, and a few others like SSE, ITS and KID came instantly with their straightforward definitions. Down clues felt trickier, but by then I had enough letters filled in to guide me. STOGIE, clued as an informal cigar, was the toughest for me; I just didn’t see it right away. TWOFACE and TOWERS added some nice pop culture touches, and overall, it felt smooth while still engaging.
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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