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The Tuesday, April 1, 2025 NYT Mini uses an April Fools’ Day joke: the linked across answers are CAPS and LOCK, spelling what was left on while making the puzzle. Gentle hints and the complete across and down answers are below.
Hints for the Tuesday, April 1 NYT Mini
Try these hints before looking at the answers. The across hints below are gentler prompts, not the puzzle’s printed clue wording.
Across hints
- Multiple covers for pen heads.
- Spanish for “father.”
- It sounds like an item of headwear held aloft.
- A small appliance used to take wrinkles out of clothes.
- A mechanism that keeps a door closed.
Down hints
- A jape or practical joke.
- Tennis players need two or three to win.
Across clues and answers
Spoilers: the complete across entries are listed here.
| Entry | Printed clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Across | “WITH 8-ACROSS, WHAT WAS LEFT ON WHILE MAKING THIS PUZZLE” | CAPS |
| 5-Across | “SAN DIEGO BASEBALL PLAYER” | PADRE |
| 6-Across | “PAIR OF CYMBALS ON A DRUM SET” | HI-HAT |
| 7-Across | “MONOPOLY TOKEN RETIRED IN 2013” | IRON |
| 8-Across | “SEE 1-ACROSS” | LOCK |
Down clues and answers
Spoilers: the complete down entries are listed here.
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#1 Best Overall
| Entry | Printed clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Down | “CAPITAL OF EGYPT” | CAIRO |
| 2-Down | “LIKE A TEMPORARY COMMITTEE” | AD HOC |
| 3-Down | “BIT OF APRIL FOOLS’ DAY FOOLERY” | PRANK |
| 4-Down | “READY-GO GO-BETWEEN” | SET |
| 5-Down | “SINGER COLLINS” | PHIL |
What is the Mini’s April Fools’ joke?
The linked clue for 1-Across and 8-Across asks what was left on while making the puzzle. The answers, CAPS and LOCK, combine to make CAPS LOCK—the puzzle’s central April Fools’ gag.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Playing this puzzle or finding older Minis
Kris Holt’s Forbes article, published March 31, 2025, described the current Mini as free to play on the NYT website or in the NYT Games app, while archived puzzles required an NYT Games subscription. Access terms can change; check the official NYT Games archive for current availability.
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