NYT Mini Crossword July 20: Crack the Sunday challenge with these hints and answers

Time of India

10 hours ago

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Hints for NYT Mini Crossword: Across Clues
1 Across: 'The heart of summer?'
Hint: A clever play on words. Think phonetically — not the season's central month or temperature, but literally the letters in the word.
Hint: A clever play on words. Think phonetically — not the season's central month or temperature, but literally the letters in the word. 4 Across: 'Emotional request'
Hint: Often heard in courtrooms or heartfelt speeches. Ends with the letter 'A'.
Hint: Often heard in courtrooms or heartfelt speeches. Ends with the letter 'A'. 5 Across: 'Word before aching or dancing'
Hint: Related to physical sensations or rhythmic movements. Starts with a 'B'.
Hint: Related to physical sensations or rhythmic movements. Starts with a 'B'. 6 Across: 'Many fans of Premier League clubs'
Hint: Think regionally, especially about the country where Premier League originated.
Hint: Think regionally, especially about the country where Premier League originated. 7 Across: 'Nacho topping that rhymes with 3-Down'
Hint: A creamy, cheesy dip ending in the vowel 'O'.
Hints for NYT Mini Crossword: Down Clues
1 Down: 'Leading role on 'The Last of Us''
Hint: Character played by Bella Ramsey, ends with 'E'.
Hint: Character played by Bella Ramsey, ends with 'E'. 2 Down: 'Gooey diner sandwiches'
Hint: Melty and often greasy — a comfort food staple.
Hint: Melty and often greasy — a comfort food staple. 3 Down: 'Authoritative approval'
Hint: A two-syllable word starting with 'S' often used in group decisions or parental permissions.
Hint: A two-syllable word starting with 'S' often used in group decisions or parental permissions. 4 Down: 'Country on one side of Lake Titicaca'
Hint: A South American nation ending with 'U'.
Hint: A South American nation ending with 'U'. 5 Down: 'Orange-and-brown chip flavor, for short'
Hint: A classic smoky flavor often found at barbeques. Commonly abbreviated to three letters.
Spoiler Alert: Answers to the July 20 NYT Mini
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Across Answers:
1 Across: EMS — Referring to the middle letters in the word 'summer.'
4 Across: PLEA — A heartfelt appeal or request.
5 Across: BELLY — As in 'belly aching' or 'belly dancing.'
6 Across: BRITS — A nod to the passionate English fanbase of the Premier League.
7 Across: QUESO — A cheese-based dip for nachos, rhyming with 'sayso.'
Down Answers:
1 Down: ELLIE — Protagonist from the acclaimed series The Last of Us.
2 Down: MELTS — Sandwiches like grilled cheese that ooze deliciously.
3 Down: SAYSO — Denoting permission or decision-making power.
4 Down: PERU — South American country bordering Lake Titicaca.
5 Down: BBQ — Abbreviation for the barbecue flavor.
NYT Mini: More Than Just a Puzzle
Why Puzzle Games Continue to Thrive
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FAQs
What is the NYT Mini Crossword?
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As digital word games continue to dominate morning routines and evening wind-downs across the globe, The New York Times Mini Crossword has cemented its place in the daily rituals of puzzle enthusiasts. On Sunday, July 20, 2025, the popular five-by-five grid once again delivered a quick but satisfying brain teaser, prompting thousands of users to seek hints, nudges, or the outright solution.Unlike its older sibling, The NYT Mini Crossword, which is a full-length, paid puzzle, the NYT Mini offers a bite-sized challenge that refreshes at 12:30 p.m. ET, making it an ideal warm-up for seasoned solvers and a perfect entry point for beginners. Here's a complete breakdown of the clues and answers for today's puzzle, organized in a way to help both casual and competitive players without giving everything away at once, as per a report by Parade magazine.Players who took on the NYT Mini today were met with a mix of playful language and straightforward associations. Each Across clue offered subtle cues designed to tease logic and linguistic agility.For those who prefer to work vertically, today's Down clues were no less intriguing. They covered entertainment, geography, and food, all common themes in recent NYT Mini editions.For solvers who need confirmation or simply want to put their minds at ease, here are the official answers to today's puzzle. Exercise caution if you're still solving.The NYT Mini, part of The New York Times' expanding suite of free daily games, stands out for its accessibility and brisk completion time, often under two minutes for adept solvers. As part of a broader cultural wave that has seen word games reclaim popularity, the Mini offers a daily test of vocabulary, lateral thinking, and deductive logic.Players often complement the Mini with other games in the NYT roster — Wordle, Connections, and Strands, forming a daily ritual that blends entertainment with mental stimulation. The Mini distinguishes itself through its brevity and versatility, often spanning pop culture, geography, sports, and food references in a five-by-five space.The enduring popularity of crossword games like the NYT Mini reflects a broader shift toward intellectually engaging pastimes that can be easily integrated into a busy day. As digital fatigue from social media and endless scrolling mounts, many users have gravitated toward games that offer calm, focus, and a sense of accomplishment.According to analytics platforms tracking game usage patterns, the average user of the NYT Games platform returns at least five times a week — a frequency that underscores the Mini's role in digital habits. Moreover, with global user engagement surging in 2025, word-based games have become intergenerational touchpoints, uniting players across age groups.While The New York Times has not announced any radical changes to the Mini, periodic updates are rolled out to improve user experience. Features like stat tracking, sharing badges, and cross-game integration hint at further developments to come. With the rise of mobile gameplay and puzzles designed for smartwatch and tablet formats, the Mini is poised to expand even further.The NYT Mini Crossword is a bite-sized puzzle published daily by The New York Times. It features a compact 5×5 grid (though the size may vary slightly), designed to be completed in just a few minutes, ideal for casual solvers and crossword beginners.The puzzle refreshes daily at 12:30 p.m. ET, making it a popular midday mental break for solvers across time zones.