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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Need the answers to the NYT Mini Crossword for Wednesday, July 16? This page covers the July 16, 2025, puzzle, with hints first and the complete Across and Down answer key below. July 16, 2026 was a Thursday, so it refers to a different grid.
Spoiler warning: The answers to the Wednesday, July 16, 2025, New York Times Mini Crossword appear below. If you are still solving, start with the hints and reveal the full answer list only when you are ready.
Quick hints for the July 16 Mini
- 1-Across: An email abbreviation for including someone in the conversation.
- 4-Across: They go around your waist—or through loops.
- 1-Down: A wood associated with Horace Slughorn’s wand.
- 2-Down: A duplicate that could make you think you are seeing two of the same thing.
- 5-Down: The Caribbean is one of these bodies of water.
NYT Mini Crossword answers for Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Keeps in the loop, in a way | CCS | To “CC” someone on an email is to copy that person, keeping them informed. |
| 4. They’re kept in the loop | BELTS | Belts are literally kept in loops, including belt loops on clothing. |
| 6. Love to pieces | ADORE | “Adore” means to love someone or something intensely. |
| 7. Craze | MANIA | A mania can be an intense enthusiasm, obsession, or craze. |
| 8. Single weightlifting unit | REP | A rep is one repetition of an exercise, such as one lift. |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Type of wood in Horace Slughorn’s wand in the Harry Potter books | CEDAR | The clue refers to cedar, the wood specified for Slughorn’s wand. |
| 2. What might have you seeing double? | CLONE | A clone is a duplicate, creating the idea that you are looking at two versions of the same person or thing. |
| 3. Cartoonist’s creation | STRIP | A comic strip is a cartoonist’s creation. |
| 4. “Ka-POW!” | BAM | Bam is a familiar comic-book sound effect. |
| 5. The Caribbean, e.g. | SEA | The Caribbean is a sea, or a regional body of water. |
The trickiest clues explained
CCS is the most abbreviation-dependent answer in the grid. In email, putting someone in the CC field copies them on the message. The clue’s wording, “in a way,” signals that “keeps in the loop” is figurative rather than describing a physical loop.
BELTS provides the literal counterpart to that clue. Belts are worn around the waist and are commonly threaded through belt loops, so the two answers cross through the wordplay on “loop.”
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CEDAR requires knowledge of the Harry Potter books rather than a general wand-material association. SEA is another potentially broad clue: “The Caribbean” can refer to the region, but in this puzzle it is being classified as a sea.
Want more NYT-style puzzles?
If you enjoy the Mini, Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! collects more New York Times Games—including a hand-picked selection of Mini Crosswords—in a physical puzzle book. The specific July 16, 2025 puzzle should not be assumed to be included unless the book’s contents are independently confirmed.
Why the year matters
This answer key is for Wednesday, July 16, 2025. July 16, 2026 fell on a Thursday and had a different Mini Crossword, so searches that omit the year can lead to the wrong grid. The 2026 puzzle included answers such as TLDR, LOIRE, INBOX, ZERO, ASAP, TONES, LIBRA, DROOP, REX, and LIZA; none of those belong to the Wednesday, July 16, 2025 puzzle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which date does this NYT Mini Crossword answer key cover?
This answer key is for the Wednesday, July 16, 2025, NYT Mini Crossword. July 16, 2026 was a Thursday and had a different puzzle.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhat are the answers to the July 16, 2025 NYT Mini Crossword?
The Across answers are CCS, BELTS, ADORE, MANIA, and REP. The Down answers are CEDAR, CLONE, STRIP, BAM, and SEA.
What does CCS mean in the Mini Crossword?
CCS means copies someone on an email. To CC a person is to include them in the conversation and keep them informed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The Bottom Line
The Wednesday, July 16, 2025, NYT Mini answers are CCS, BELTS, ADORE, MANIA, REP across and CEDAR, CLONE, STRIP, BAM, SEA down. Be careful not to confuse this Wednesday puzzle with the separate Thursday, July 16, 2026 edition.
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