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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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"Elevator alternative" refers to another way to move between floors in a building. The straightforward alternative is "STEPS," as stairs provide a non-mechanical, manual option for vertical movement, contrasting with an elevator. This clue directly suggests the practical, physical alternative to an elevator.
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The solution, LUMON, refers to the sinister biotech corporation central to the Apple TV+ series Severance. In the show, Lumon Industries conducts the controversial “severance” procedure, splitting employees' consciousness between work and personal lives. Its mysterious and morally ambiguous practices align with the “evil corporation” in the clue.
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An ATOLL is a ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets surrounding a lagoon, typically formed around a sunken volcanic island. The clue directly describes this specific geological formation, making ATOLL the accurate answer.
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The term "MOJO" refers to a magical charm, influence, or personal power that often exudes confidence and charisma. An "aura of confidence" aligns with this sense of possessing a magnetic or self-assured presence, making MOJO the perfect fit for the clue.
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The clue "___ Lanka" refers to the South Asian island nation officially known as Sri Lanka. "Sri" is the correct prefix completing the country's name. This straightforward geography clue relies on general knowledge of the nation’s name, without additional wordplay or language indicators.
Down
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The answer "SLAMS" fits "Severely criticizes" because "slams" is a common term used to describe harsh or forceful criticism, often in a public or expressive manner. The word captures the intensity implied by "severely," making it a precise match for the clue.
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The clue "One-on-one academic coach" directly refers to a TUTOR because tutors provide personalized instruction to individuals, often tailoring lessons to the student's specific needs. The "one-on-one" aspect highlights the individualized attention typically given by a tutor, distinguishing them from general classroom teachers.
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The question mark is a signal that the clue involves a pun. "A head of our time" might make you think of a leader or visionary, but the trick is in "head"—not as in a person leading, but a literal head shape. In our digital age, EMOJIs are everywhere, and many of them are heads.😆
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The answer "POLO" fits because polo shirts are a staple in "preppy" fashion, which is associated with affluent, collegiate, or country club style. The term refers to the distinct collared shirt popularized by brands like Ralph Lauren, known for its preppy aesthetic.
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The answer is SNL (Saturday Night Live), a long-running, iconic sketch comedy and variety show on NBC that premiered in 1975. In 2023, it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special. Its longevity and cultural significance make it a fitting answer to this clue.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Normal
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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
Another fun Friday Mini from Joel Fagliano! A good mix of pop culture, geography, and clever wordplay. Some clues felt easy, but a few were definitely trickier. The Mini keeps adding little challenges to keep things interesting. Was this one a breeze for you, or did you get stuck?
Today's Tricky Wordplay
Here's what caught our attention today:
- Elevator alternative
- Evil corporation on Apple TV+'s "Severance"
- Ring-shaped coral reef
- Aura of confidence
- A head of our time?
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 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.