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Yesterday's NYT Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The phrase "It's only a ___" is often used to downplay the importance of a competition or activity, especially to comfort someone upset over losing. "GAME" fits perfectly, as it suggests the activity is meant for fun, not to be taken too seriously.
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The clue "Here's a pointer!" signals wordplay. An "arrow" is a literal pointer, often used to indicate direction or highlight something. The playful phrasing connects the figurative meaning with the visual function of an arrow, making it the perfect answer.
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The clue "ME, in an address" refers to the abbreviation for the U.S. state of Maine, which is "ME." In mailing addresses, states are often represented by their two-letter postal abbreviations. Thus, ME corresponds to the state of Maine.
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EPEES is the correct answer because it refers to a type of sword used in the Olympic sport of fencing. There are three fencing disciplines: foil, sabre, and épée. Épées are characterized by their heavier build and the fact that touches can be scored on the entire body.
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The answer is NEST because "nest" describes how objects, like measuring cups, stack or fit inside one another for compact storage. This concept aligns perfectly with the clue's imagery of items that fit together in a layered, organized manner.
Down
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The answer is GRAPE because it is a common fruit flavor used in candies, and is famously associated with the color purple due to its natural hue. Many grape-flavored candies, such as lollipops or gummies, are distinctly purple in color, making it a clear match for the clue.
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The clue "Zodiac ram" directly points to ARIES because in astrology, Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, represented by the symbol of a ram. This connection comes from Greek mythology, where the constellation Aries is linked to a ram with golden fleece.
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The answer is MONET because Claude Monet was a renowned French Impressionist painter famous for his "Water Lilies" series, a collection of approximately 250 paintings inspired by his garden in Giverny. Monet's works are iconic and exemplify his mastery of light, color, and nature in art.
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The clue "Rams' mates" refers to the mates of male sheep, which are called rams. Female sheep are referred to as "ewes." Since "mates" suggests a pairing or counterpart, the answer is EWES, the correct term for female sheep.
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The phrase "Last word of grace" refers to the traditional closing word of a prayer before a meal, often called "saying grace." The word "AMEN" is commonly used to conclude prayers, making it the fitting solution for this clue.
Yesterday’s Game Difficulty
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Missed solving yesterday's NYT The Mini or playing in a different timezone? We've got you covered. Meet Lady Puzzle, our charming avatar ready to assist! Click her for hints, reveal the entire puzzle, uncover squares one by one, or explore clue answers. No matter your solving style, this is your ultimate tool for completing NYT's The Mini.
Top Clues from Yesterday’s Mini
Below is a selection of the most intriguing clues from yesterday’s NYT Mini Puzzle. These stood out for their clever wordplay, the things they taught us, or just the fun challenge they brought. Whether you missed them or only want to see why they caught our attention, here are our favorite clues that made solving yesterday’s puzzle fun and rewarding.
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.
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.