The New York Times Mini Crossword, a popular word puzzle within the Times’ games collection, challenges players with concise clues and a compact grid. This particular recap focuses on the February 4, 2025 puzzle, highlighting the experience of one solver who completed it in a swift 27 seconds. While a personal best, the solver acknowledges that knowledge of French, specifically the verb “être” (to be), would have expedited the process even further. The solver notes that familiarity with Spanish aided in quickly solving the clue “Fearsome cat, in Spanish,” with the answer being “tigre.” This underscores the importance of vocabulary across different languages in tackling these puzzles.
The article then provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Mini Crossword clues and their corresponding answers. Across clues included everyday terms like “T-shirt or blouse” (TOP), “Do a novelist’s job” (WRITE), and a playfully misleading clue “Confusing answer to ‘So I’m supposed to turn left?'” (RIGHT). The aforementioned French clue, “French ‘to be’,” was answered with “ETRE,” and the puzzle also featured a partial phrase clue, “___-do-well,” solved with “NEER.”
The Down clues offered a mix of vocabulary, general knowledge, and pop culture references. “Alternative option” led to the answer “OTHER,” while the clue “Marcel the monkey, on ‘Friends'” pointed to “PET” for those familiar with the popular sitcom. Nature enthusiasts might have quickly identified “Tiny bird with a piercing ‘teakettle-teakettle!’ song” as “WREN.” Lastly, “Religious ceremony” yielded the answer “RITE.”
For enthusiasts eager to tackle more Mini Crosswords, the article clarifies access options. While the current day’s puzzle is freely available on The New York Times Games section, accessing the archive of past puzzles requires a subscription. This encourages consistent daily engagement and offers a premium experience for dedicated solvers. The Times Games section, a broader collection of online games, provides a diverse range of puzzles and activities beyond the Mini Crossword.
The article also directs readers to CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page for assistance with other popular daily puzzles like Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition, and Strands. This highlights the availability of online resources and communities dedicated to solving these word games, offering support and strategies for players of all skill levels. The mention of these other puzzles underscores the widespread appeal of word games and the diverse ways in which they challenge players’ vocabulary, logic, and knowledge.
Finally, the inclusion of an embedded Facebook tracking pixel suggests the publisher’s interest in understanding audience engagement with the article and its related content. This data collection likely informs content strategy and advertising efforts, reflecting the intersection of online publishing and data analytics. The pixel tracks user interactions, allowing the publisher to tailor future content and optimize the user experience. This highlights the increasing prevalence of data-driven decision-making in the online media landscape.
