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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Here are the clues and answers for the NYT Mini published Friday, April 3, 2026. The day’s wordplay turns on two seasons used as verbs: “spring” becomes SPRANG, and “fall” becomes FELL.
Across clues and answers
- “Jumped up … or a season in the past tense?” — SPRANG. “Spring” is the season; “sprang” is also its past-tense verb form. Parade’s April 3 guide lists this answer.
- “Basketball player, informally” — HOOPER. Parade lists the answer.
- “___ balloon” — HOTAIR, filling “hot air.” Parade lists the answer.
- “Tumbled down … or a season in the past tense?” — FELL. “Fall” is the season, and “fell” is the verb’s past tense. Parade’s guide lists this answer.
Down clues and answers
- “Be quiet!” — SHH. Parade lists the answer.
- “Sound of disappearance” — POOF. Parade lists the answer.
- “Memorization technique based on repetition” — ROTE. Parade lists the answer.
- “C’mon, be ___” (“Help me out”) — APAL, read as “a pal.” Parade lists the answer.
- “Astronaut Armstrong” — NEIL. Parade lists the answer.
- “Dog’s warning” — GRR. Parade lists the answer.
How the answers are confirmed
The complete set is SPRANG, HOOPER, HOTAIR, and FELL across; SHH, POOF, ROTE, APAL, NEIL, and GRR down. Forbes, CNET via Yahoo Tech, and Mashable via Yahoo Tech independently list the same answers, with no substantive answer conflict.
Playing the Mini
Forbes described The Mini as free to play on the New York Times website or NYT Games app and said access to previous puzzles in the archive required an NYT Games subscription in its April 2, 2026 guide. That is Forbes’ dated access description; it does not establish current subscription terms or pricing.
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