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The NYT Mini Crossword offers a quick and engaging way to test crossword-solving skills in just a few minutes. For December 13, 2024, the clues cover a variety of themes, including New York landmarks and everyday items.
This smaller version of the renowned New York Times crossword keeps the challenge high while reducing the grid size and difficulty. If you're stuck on today's puzzle, check out the NYT Mini Crossword answers and hints below.
1A: Spread out, as one's fingers
Answer: SPLAY
This is a reference to the act of spreading out one's fingers. An example would be when a person stretches their hand flat or when they open their fingers as wide as possible. This act is referred to by the word "splay."
6A: Long cloud of smoke
Answer: PLUME
A "plume" is a long, visible cloud of smoke or vapor. It's often used to describe a trail of smoke rising from a fire or an exhaust.
7A: Subway payments
Answer: FARES
"Fares" are the payments made to ride public transportation, like subways, buses, or trains.
8A: Kind of garden with a bonsai tree
Answer: ZEN
This is a clue for a Zen garden, which means a minimalist garden with such ornaments as sand, stones, and tiny plants, including bonsai trees. Zen gardens are usually intended as meditation spaces and places for silence.
9A: "Might I ___ …"
Answer: ADD
This is a play with the popular phrase, "Might I add,." that is used if someone wants to add some further information or thoughts.
1D: Rating on a Hawaiian Tropic bottle, for short
Answer: SPF
SPF is an acronym for the term "Sun Protection Factor." It is a measuring scale of sunscreens used to indicate how effective a given product is in preventing dangerous UV rays from reaching the skin.
2D: New York hotel featured in “Home Alone 2,” with “the”
Answer: PLAZA
That is "The Plaza Hotel," a well-known luxury accommodation in New York City that figured in the movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
3D: Enticed with bait
Answer: LURED
"Lured" means to attract or entice someone or something, often using bait. This is typically used when referring to fishing or trapping animals.
4D: Modify, as the Constitution
Answer: AMEND
"Amend" means to make changes or modifications to something, like how the U.S. Constitution has been amended several times over history.
5D: Reply to roughly 3.6% of Harvard applicants for the 2028 class
Answer: YES
This is referring to the acceptance rate for Harvard University, approximately 3.6%. The answer "YES" is what most applicants would like to have as a reply after sending in an application.
The answers to today's NYT Mini crossword come with some tricky clues, but a few are simple enough to help the solver fill in most of the grid quickly. For example, "SPLAY" for spreading out fingers or "PLUME" for a long cloud of smoke is straightforward. But some clues, such as "PLAZA" (referring to the famous New York hotel) or "YES" (used for Harvard applicants), require a bit of local knowledge or context.
The NYT Mini crossword puzzle is a quicker, smaller alternative to the full-sized crossword. It is ideal for anyone who wants a short mental exercise. The full-sized crossword has 15x15 grids with more challenging clues. The NYT Mini crossword, however, is more bite-sized and will take under five minutes to solve. Its format makes it an excellent quick break in the middle of a busy day.
But, just like all puzzles, the NYT Mini can sometimes throw curveballs if it's about obscure references or tricky wordplay. That's where the NYT Mini Crossword hints and answers come in handy.
The answers today revolve around themes like New York landmarks (PLAZA), daily essentials (SPF), and classic wordplay. Some of the clues may push those who are not familiar with certain references, such as the "Home Alone 2" hotel, but once the grid begins to fill, solving the rest of the puzzle is smooth sailing.
PLAZA (2D) is not a particularly guessable answer unless you can think of a famous hotel in New York. The clue referencing "Home Alone 2" is a nice subtle hint for someone who remembers the movie.
YES (5D) is tricky as it refers to a tiny number of Harvard applicants, so it's not likely something that springs to mind initially but is easy to infer if you think about it.
Pay attention to easy clues first. Leading with answers such as SPLAY and PLUME will give you a useful framework for the puzzle.
If you get stuck, look for answers that relate to general knowledge or current events. For example, the term "SPF" is a common phrase most solvers will recognize.
The NYT Mini Crossword often has a rapid pace. Solve easy clues first, then work your way up to the harder ones.
The NYT Mini crossword game is free to play every day on the New York Times website but older ones require a subscription. The game is appropriate for those who enjoy the rapid experience that comes with solving a crossword puzzle within a short time. Both desktop and mobile versions have the games, so they can easily be played anywhere.
NYT Mini Crosswords are published at 10 p.m. ET on weekdays and 6 p.m. ET on weekends. They offer puzzles from easy to challenging, Mondays being the simplest and Saturdays presenting the most difficult.
When wishing to advance crossword puzzle-solver skills or merely be adequately prepared for more crossword exercises, consulting NYT Mini Crossword clues today or previously is useful. Sometimes a solving of the clue boils to that of the wordplay, or more so the clue about culture.
The NYT Mini on December 13, 2024, is moderately challenging at worst, thanks to a few puzzlingly tricky clues; it's a delightful and fast way to exercise your mind, and the answers are readily available for anyone who needs them. This puzzle provides entertainment and satisfaction to both the crossword fan and the beginner.
The Mini crossword, by its name, is bite-sized, but it's a good mental workout for any person looking to break up their day with a little puzzle fun.
