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The New York Times Mini Crossword offers a refreshing challenge each day, with compact clues that twist and turn in playful ways. Today’s edition, January 21, 2025, presented some tricky moments, especially with a few clues that caught solvers off guard. Let's dive into the answers and unravel the mystery of the day’s crossword.
The clue that stumped many crossword enthusiasts today was "Ones working with meters and feet?" Many might have thought about architects or designers, but this clue is a classic example of how the NYT likes to twist its puzzles.
Instead of pointing to a physical trade, the answer here is a nod to the literary world. The correct response is "POETS." Poets work with feet—specifically, poetic feet, which refer to the rhythm in lines of poetry. It's a brilliant play on words, reminding solvers that clues can come from unexpected areas of knowledge.
Let’s go through all the clues and answers for today’s Mini Crossword.
1A: Kinda wet
Answer: DAMP
A very obvious clue, but "damp" can be such a straightforward word that even simple solutions might trick overthinkers.
5A: standoffish
Answer: ALOOF
Another easy clue that describes someone as being aloof or standoffish. However, "aloof" is probably not a word in the vocabulary of many daily users.
7A: Creature on a lifeboat with Pi, in "Life of Pi"
Answer: TIGER
A great clue for book and movie buffs, referencing the Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, who is on the lifeboat with Pi.
8A: Less than 90°
Answer: ACUTE
A great geometry reference for a mini crossword.
9A: "What ___ is new?"
Answer: ELSE
A simple and oft-used phrase, the clue plays off the familiar wording.
1D: What hasn't been processed if it's raw
Answer: DATA
Raw data are just unprocessed information waiting in the digital world for analysis; thus, it's an open clue.
2D: Character who climbs through the looking glass
Answer: ALICE
Alice, a character of the famous book, "Through the Looking-Glass," of Lewis Carroll.
3D: Tycoon
Answer: MOGUL
One of many synonyms for tycoon or wealthy influential business people.
4D: Ones working with meters and feet?
Answer: POETS.
As mentioned above, this is a play on the poetic form, where "feet" refers to the rhythm in verse.
6D: Complimentary
Answer: FREE
A straightforward clue, meaning something given without charge.
Today's puzzle showed how the NYT Mini Crossword can blend everyday language with creative wordplay. The puzzle's clues often reference culture, literature, and science, which makes it fun for a broad range of solvers.
Some clues, like "Tycoon" (3D), are easily solvable if you're familiar with business lingo, while "Character who climbs through the looking glass" (2D) is a reference to Alice in Wonderland. A perfect literary reference for any crossword enthusiast.
To master the Mini Crossword, approaching the clues with a systematic strategy can help. Start by solving the clues that are most obvious. From there, use the known answers to fill in the blanks and work on the more challenging clues.
If a clue is causing frustration, put it aside and go back to it later. Sometimes the right answer presents itself after having some time away from the question.
The NYT Mini Crossword is also an excellent tool for daily mental exercise. With just five across and five down clues, it presents the right measure of challenge and fun. And if today's puzzle wasn't quite enough, remember that every day brings a new crossword to solve.
The NYT Mini Crossword is prized for its speedy and satisfying format. It's an absolutely great fit for someone looking to playfully test their brains without devoting too much time. The small grid and the punny clues are a perfect combination: entertaining and fulfilling at the same time to fill.
A better challenge for someone who wants more of a test is the large NYT Crossword, but the Mini version lets anyone enjoy a daily crossword without overwhelm. It is a game that fits easily into even the busiest of schedules.
While the Mini Crossword is a fan favorite, there are other crossword-style games in the New York Times collection. If you're craving more, check out games like Wordle, Connections, or Strands. These puzzles, along with the Mini Crossword, offer a variety of wordplay challenges.
The New York Times games are available both online and through their app, making it easy to play anywhere. Whether it’s solving a challenging crossword or tackling a quick game of Wordle, these puzzles provide endless entertainment and mental stimulation.
This crossword by the NYT Mini for January 21, 2025, was absolutely perfectly balanced with some simplicity and some tricky twists; the clues were fun to get and at times challenging to decipher. The puzzles are an amazing way to bring a feeling of accomplishment while starting the day on a mentally refreshed note!
You have finished another interesting day of fun brain exercise activities while solving today's Mini Crossword. The clues seemed difficult, but with some time and knowledge, everything compiled well. Every day presents new puzzles to solve to keep such crossword enthusiasts eagerly awaiting and looking forward to a new challenge.
