I’m back! After a couple weeks off the rotation, I have returned to cross words with you, dearest puzzle solvers. It felt like the depth of summer back then. Now summer is slinking off and autumn is rushing in, cool and a little wistful.
As always, be sure to check out my weekend streaming guide with all the best current streaming options and theatrical releases. Let me know what you’re watching, too! I’m always looking for recommendations.
Looking for yesterday’s NYT Mini Crossword? Check out our hints and answers right here.
The NYT Mini is a smaller, quicker, more digestible, bite-sized version of the larger and more challenging NYT Crossword, and unlike its larger sibling, it’s free-to-play without a subscription to The New York Times. You can play it on the web or the app, though you’ll need the app to tackle the archive.
Spoilers ahead!
How To Solve Today’s Mini Crossword
Clues
Since the Saturday Mini is so much bigger and tougher than any of the rest of the week, I’m including some clues for each of these rather than just the first letter, though you can see first letters below, followed by answers.
Across
1A. U.S. prez who served four terms — During WWII
4A. Hurry, in Shakespearean English — Rhymes with “pie”
7A. Only country to have a musical instrument (the harp) as its national emblem — Think Shamrocks
9A. Big name in rum — Rhymes, sort of, with 10A
10A. She holds the record for most #1 Billboard hits by a female rapper (5) — Rhymes, sort of, with 9A
11A. Ancient time-tracking device — Uses the ball of gas in the sky
12A. Ctrl-___-Del — This is a keyboard command on PC
13A. Opposite of SSW — It’s short for an Alfred Hitchcock movie
14A. Used to be – not “Is”
15A. Jupiter or Saturn, primarily — See clue for 11A
Down
1D. Small lie — Rhymes with “bib”
2D. Whom Count von Count of “Sesame Street” is a parody of — He wants to suck your blood
3D. Takes back, as testimony — but sometimes you can’t
4D. 1920s U.S. president — Warren G.
5D. Home to the W.N.B.A.’s Fever — Last name Jones
6D. Weed gummies — Eat them because they’re _______
8D. Cooking grease — Don’t think too hard
11D. Observed — See___
Before we get to the answers, here’s the first letter for each word in today’s Mini.
Across
1A. U.S. prez who served four terms — F
4A. Hurry, in Shakespearean English — H
7A. Only country to have a musical instrument (the harp) as its national emblem — I
9A. Big name in rum — B
10A. She holds the record for most #1 Billboard hits by a female rapper (5) — C
11A. Ancient time-tracking device — S
12A. Ctrl-___-Del — A
13A. Opposite of SSW — N
14A. Used to be — W
15A. Jupiter or Saturn, primarily — G
Down
1D. Small lie — F
2D. Whom Count von Count of “Sesame Street” is a parody of — D
3D. Takes back, as testimony — R
4D. 1920s U.S. president — H
5D. Home to the W.N.B.A.’s Fever — I
6D. Weed gummies — E
8D. Cooking grease — L
11D. Observed — S
Okay, onto the answers! Remember, spoilers ahead!
Across
1A. U.S. prez who served four terms — FDR
4A. Hurry, in Shakespearean English — HIE
7A. Only country to have a musical instrument (the harp) as its national emblem — IRELAND
9A. Big name in rum — BACARDI
10A. She holds the record for most #1 Billboard hits by a female rapper (5) — CARDI B
11A. Ancient time-tracking device — SUNDIAL
12A. Ctrl-___-Del — ALT
13A. Opposite of SSW — NNE
14A. Used to be — WAS
15A. Jupiter or Saturn, primarily — GAS
Down
1D. Small lie — FIB
2D. Whom Count von Count of “Sesame Street” is a parody of — DRACULA
3D. Takes back, as testimony — RECANTS
4D. 1920s U.S. president — HOOVER
5D. Home to the W.N.B.A.’s Fever — INDIANA
6D. Weed gummies — EDIBLES
8D. Cooking grease — LARD
11D. Observed — SAW
This was a big one, but I was able to skip around and get it in 2:55. Right off the bat I knew exactly who 1-Across was but my brain wouldn’t put the letters together and kept sending me JFK, which I knew was wrong. I got there and then popped in FIB for 1-Down. I couldn’t recall which country had a harp as its national emblem so I skipped to BACARDI which immediately gave me the answer for CARDIB (it’s weird how close her name is to BACARDI). I kept skipping around, snagging ALT and WAS and NNE and then plugging in some downs, like DRACULA and HARDING. I put GOD in for the Jupiter and Saturn but realized soon enough it had to be GAS. What a gas! That was fun.
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If you also play Wordle, I write guides about that as well. You can find those and all my TV guides, reviews and much more here on my blog. Thanks for reading!
