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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallNeed help with the Tuesday, December 16, 2025 NYT Mini? Start with the hints below, then scroll to the answer key when you’re ready. This is the Mini puzzle, not the full-size New York Times crossword.
Spoiler warning: The answer key is below.
Hints for the December 16 Mini
These prompts point to the five Across and five Down entries. Try the clues before opening the answer key.
Across
- It has a trunk.
- Kentucky senator ___ Paul.
- They have branches.
- Nowhere to be found.
- It has a trunk and branches.
Down
- Something that’s carried while portaging, perhaps.
- ___ breaker, a basketball move that causes the defender to fall over.
- Two in a fork?: Abbr.
- Sound that imitates a lion or dinosaur.
- Symbol in the night sky over Gotham.
Answers: December 16, 2025
The dated clue and answer lists are reported by Try Hard Guides and DocumentaryTube. The answer for “It has a trunk” is also identified as CAR in Try Hard Guides’ clue entry. These are third-party answer listings; an official NYT puzzle page was not verified.
| Direction | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Across 1 | It has a trunk | CAR |
| Across 4 | Kentucky senator ___ Paul | RAND |
| Across 5 | They have branches | BANKS |
| Across 6 | Nowhere to be found | AWOL |
| Across 7 | It has a trunk and branches | TREE |
| Down 1 | Something that’s carried while portaging, perhaps | CANOE |
| Down 2 | ___ breaker, basketball move that causes the defender to fall over | ANKLE |
| Down 3 | Two in a fork?: Abbr. | RDS |
| Down 4 | Sound that imitates a lion or dinosaur | RAWR |
| Down 5 | Symbol in the night sky over Gotham | BAT |
How the trunk-and-branches clues connect
Three Across answers use related meanings of “trunk” and “branches”: a CAR has a trunk, BANKS have branches, and a TREE has both. That repeated wording can help check the crossing letters. It is a useful way to read the clues, not a confirmed official theme label.
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