The clue "Good luck out there!" is in quotes, signaling conversational phrasing. "GOGETEM" is a motivational expression of encouragement, often said to someone about to tackle a challenge. It matches the tone of wishing someone "good luck" in an informal, impassioned way.
Across
The clue "Good luck out there!" is in quotes, signaling conversational phrasing. "GOGETEM" is a motivational expression of encouragement, often said to someone about to tackle a challenge. It matches the tone of wishing someone "good luck" in an informal, impassioned way.
8File-sharing method between two Apple devicesAIRDROP???????✨ See Why
The solution is AIRDROP because it is a feature exclusive to Apple devices that allows users to wirelessly share files like photos, documents, or links. It uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for quick, nearby transfers, fitting the clue's focus on file-sharing between Apple devices specifically.
9Sticking together with pasteGLUEING???????✨ See Why
The clue "Sticking together with paste" directly describes the act of adhering objects using an adhesive. "GLUEING" (a variant spelling of "gluing") is the process of applying glue—a type of paste—to stick items together, making it the accurate solution to the clue.
10Org. with a draft lotteryNBA???✨ See Why
The NBA (National Basketball Association) holds an annual draft lottery, where teams that missed the playoffs have a chance to secure higher draft picks for new players. This process ensures fairness in team-building, aligning perfectly with the clue: "Org. with a draft lottery."
11Unable to relaxUPTIGHT???????✨ See Why
The clue "Unable to relax" describes someone who is tense or stressed. "UPTIGHT" is a synonym for being rigid, overly stressed, or anxious, perfectly aligning with the clue's meaning. It's a straightforward definition-based clue where the solution matches the emotional state described.
15Surround sound systemsSTEREOS???????✨ See Why
The clue "Surround sound systems" points to audio equipment that produces immersive sound. STEREOS refers to stereo systems, which use two channels (left and right) to create a spatial, surround-like audio experience. Though not true "surround sound," it's a common phrase association for audio setups.
16"I wouldn't do that if I were you"BADIDEA???????✨ See Why
The clue "I wouldn't do that if I were you" is in quotes, signaling a spoken phrase. "BADIDEA" is a fitting answer because it directly conveys a warning or disapproval, implying the action is unwise, matching the sentiment of the clue perfectly.
Down
1Running jokeGAG???✨ See Why
"Running joke" suggests something ongoing or repeated humorously. A "GAG" is a comedic joke or routine often repeated, aligning perfectly with the idea of a recurring or "running" joke.
2Commodity whose price has risen sharply in 2026OIL???✨ See Why
The clue refers to a commodity, and oil is a globally significant one whose price is often volatile. Predicting a price surge in 2026 reflects oil's historical trends, driven by geopolitical events, supply-demand changes, or economic factors, making OIL a fitting answer.
3Made a sound of exertionGRUNTED???????✨ See Why
The clue "Made a sound of exertion" describes a physical, effort-related noise. "Grunted" fits perfectly as it describes the low, guttural sound often made when exerting effort, like lifting something heavy or straining physically. The past tense matches "Made," confirming GRUNTED as the answer.
4Ayo of "The Bear"EDEBIRI???????✨ See Why
The clue references Ayo Edebiri, an actress known for her role as Sydney Adamu on the TV series The Bear. The answer, EDEBIRI, is her last name. This is a straightforward clue asking for the surname of a specific individual associated with the show.
5Assessed for priority, as in the E.R.TRIAGED???????✨ See Why
"TRIAGED" is the process used in emergency rooms (E.R.) to assess and prioritize patients based on the severity of their conditions. The clue directly hints at this practice of systematically evaluating who needs urgent care first, making "TRIAGED" the accurate answer.
6Extremely long timeEON???✨ See Why
EON is a term used to describe an immeasurably long period of time, often in a geological or astronomical context. The clue "Extremely long time" directly aligns with this definition, as an eon conveys vast, almost incomprehensible durations. Hence, it fits perfectly as the solution.
7Fuel economy meas.MPG???✨ See Why
The clue "Fuel economy meas." hints at an abbreviation for a measure of fuel economy. MPG stands for "miles per gallon," a standard measure of how far a vehicle can travel using one gallon of fuel. It perfectly aligns with the clue's reference to fuel efficiency.
11Alternative to a lightning cableUSB???✨ See Why
The answer "USB" fits because USB cables are a widely-used alternative to Apple's proprietary Lightning cables for charging and data transfer. While Lightning cables are specific to Apple devices, USB (including USB-C) is a universal standard compatible with many devices across various brands.
12Book fair group, for shortPTA???✨ See Why
PTA stands for Parent-Teacher Association, which often organizes and runs book fairs at schools to promote reading and raise funds. The clue specifies "for short," indicating an abbreviation, making PTA the correct and concise answer.
13Soil-loosening toolHOE???✨ See Why
The answer is HOE because it is a common gardening tool specifically designed for loosening soil, removing weeds, and shaping the ground. This straightforward clue directly describes the function of a hoe, aligning with its practical use in gardening and farming tasks.
14Org. that issues Known Traveler NumbersTSA???✨ See Why
The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) issues Known Traveler Numbers (KTNs) for participants in trusted traveler programs like TSA PreCheck. These KTNs allow quicker, smoother airport security screening. As an "Org." linked to airport security and trusted traveler facilitation, TSA fits perfectly as the solution to the clue.
Solving today’s NYT Mini Puzzle and stuck on the 7-letter answer to the "Good luck out there!" 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.
"Good luck out there!" Answer Explained
The answer is GOGETEM.
The quotation marks tell you the clue is looking for something a person might actually say rather than a dictionary definition. "Good luck out there!" is often expressed more casually as "Go get 'em!" It's an encouraging phrase you might hear before a big game, job interview, performance, or exam. In crosswords, contractions and spoken expressions are often written without apostrophes, so GOGETEM represents "Go get 'em." If you were thinking of alternatives like "You got this!" or "Break a leg!," the crossings would eventually narrow it down. Once you recognize the clue is asking for a familiar spoken expression, GOGETEM becomes a natural fit.
Now that you've cracked the 1A "Good luck out there!" 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
Sam Ezersky really brought his signature Spelling Bee style to today's larger Saturday Mini. It felt noticeably tougher than the average Mini, with long Across entries and clues that relied more on interpretation than straightforward definitions. Several clues were conversational phrases in quotation marks, like GOGETEM ("Good luck out there!") and BADIDEA ("I wouldn't do that if I were you"), where multiple expressions could have fit until enough crossings appeared. Even something like UPTIGHT for "Unable to relax" had plenty of plausible alternatives.
Fortunately, the Downs balanced things out with lots of short, accessible fill that gradually unlocked the longer answers. Knowing Ayo EDEBIRI from The Bear certainly helped, and once I had enough letters, the grid started coming together. I actually found myself parsing several of the long Across answers twice before they finally clicked. That's classic Sam, challenging without feeling unfair. It demanded patience and careful reading, but the payoff was satisfying. A rewarding Saturday solve that made me work for every long entry.
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.
Leaderboards
It’s an additional social resource provided by NYT. You can add friends (up to 100 invitees) to track daily completion and compete.