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Hints for the April 4, 2025 Mini
- 1-Across: A story or stage object, such as Elphaba’s broom or Aladdin’s lamp.
- 5-Across: A thorough investigation.
- 6-Across: A machine-like follower of rules.
- 7-Across: Harvard and Yale belong to this group.
- 8-Across: The first word in a department-store name ending in “Wearhouse.”
- 1-Down: Establish something definitively.
- 2-Down: A familiar springtime bird.
- 3-Down: Woodwind instruments heard in an orchestra.
- 4-Down: Animals that may eat kibble.
- 5-Down: Primly or fastidiously proper.
Across answers
| Entry | Clue | Answer | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | Elphaba’s broom in “Wicked” or Aladdin’s lamp in “Aladdin” | PROP | Both are objects used in a story or performance. |
| 5A | Thorough investigation | PROBE | A probe is an investigation. |
| 6A | Metaphor for an unquestioning rule-follower | ROBOT | “Robot” is used figuratively for someone who follows instructions without question. |
| 7A | Harvard and Yale, for two | IVIES | Both are Ivy League schools. |
| 8A | ___ Wearhouse (department store chain) | MENS | The grid fill is MENS, for Men’s Wearhouse. |
Down answers
| Entry | Clue | Answer | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1D | Definitively determine | PROVE | To prove something is to establish it definitively. |
| 2D | Herald of spring | ROBIN | The clue points to the familiar seasonal bird. |
| 3D | Orchestral reeds | OBOES | Oboes are orchestral woodwind instruments. |
| 4D | Kibble nibblers | PETS | Pets are the broad group suggested by the clue. |
| 5D | Fastidiously proper | PRIM | “Prim” describes someone who is very proper or formal. |
How to check the fills
Across and Down entries intersect, so a letter supplied by one answer can confirm or challenge a crossing answer. For example, use the known letters from PROBE, ROBOT, and IVIES to test the Down entries that cross them. The New York Times explains this basic Across-and-Down format in its crossword guidance.
Where to play or find the archived puzzle
The New York Times Help Center currently says its crossword is available at nytimes.com/crosswords, in the NYT Games app, and in the News app. Its current guidance says Games and All Access subscribers can view past archived puzzles. These are current help-page terms, not a description of subscription terms in April 2025. The page also describes Check and Reveal tools and notes that using them resets a crossword streak.
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