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Here are the clues and answers for the NYT Mini Crossword dated Monday, March 3, 2025, plus the puzzle’s circled-letter reveal.
Across clues and answers
- “Applaud with one’s fingers” — SNAP
- “Material for Elvis’s blue shoes” — SUEDE
- “Tree with white bark” — ASPEN
- “Leather leggings” — CHAPS
- “Traditional garment for a Scottish groom” — KILT
Down clues and answers
- “Food ordered in rolls” — SUSHI
- “Country with the most mountains over 25,000 feet in elevation” — NEPAL
- “Skilled (at)” — ADEPT
- “Ink-filled items” — PENS
- “___ race (picnic event)” — SACK
What the circled letters spell
The circled letters spell USHAPED, a reference to “U-shaped.” Forbes contributor Erik Kain wrote that he noticed the circles while solving and understood their significance after filling the grid and reading the letters in sequence. Kain reported a personal completion time of 1:09; that is his individual solve time, not a benchmark for other players.
Publication date and source
This answer set is for Monday, March 3, 2025. Forbes published Erik Kain’s clue-and-answer coverage on March 2, 2025. The clue list and theme explanation here are attributed to that article; no official NYT answer page or constructor attribution is established in the available source. Access details in the article reflected the time it was written and should not be treated as confirmation of current archive requirements.
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