Stuck on Today’s NYT Mini? Here’s Every Answer for March 22, 2025 Explained!
The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 22, 2025, offers an interesting mix of general knowledge, wordplay, and cultural references. You’ve come to the right place if you’re working through today’s puzzle and finding yourself stuck on a few clues. Let’s break down each clue and solution with some helpful insights along the way.
What’s Special About Today’s Mini?
Today’s puzzle has expanded beyond the typical 5×5 grid format that Mini enthusiasts might expect. With 11 across clues and seven down clues, this Saturday puzzle offers more challenge than the usual weekday Mini. The clues range from geography and technology to popular culture and education, making it an eclectic mix that tests various knowledge domains.
Across Clues Solved
1-Across: “Auction offer”
The answer here is BID. This three-letter word refers to the amount someone offers to pay for an item at auction. In crosswords, short, common words like this often appear as corner entries to help build the scaffold for longer answers.
4-Across: “Side of a diamond.”
The solution is FACET. Diamonds have multiple flat surfaces (facets) that are precisely cut to reflect light. This geometric term works perfectly here, though some solvers might initially think of baseball diamonds and their sides.
6-Across: “School subject that anagrams to A GARBLE, fittingly”
The answer is ALGEBRA. This is a clever clue with a built-in hint – the letters in “A GARBLE” can be rearranged to spell ALGEBRA. The constructor added “fittingly” because algebra itself often involves rearranging letters (variables) and numbers in equations.
8-Across: “Apple laptop”
This refers to MacBook, Apple’s line of laptop computers. Technology references are increasingly common in modern crosswords, reflecting our digital world.
9-Across: “U.S. city that’s home to 71 streets with ‘Peachtree’ in their names.”
The answer is ATLANTA. This Georgia capital is famous for its numerous Peachtree streets, roads, boulevards, and other thoroughfares – a quirky bit of American urban trivia that crossword constructors love.
10-Across: “Wikipedia.org and weather.com”
These are examples of WEBSITES. This straightforward clue uses specific examples to point toward the general category.
11-Across: “Higher ed degree.”
The answer is an MBA (Master of Business Administration). Abbreviations for academic degrees frequently appear in crosswords, and MBA is ubiquitous due to its helpful letter combination.
Down Clues Solved
1-Down: “One way of resealing tortilla chips”
The answer is BAGCLIP. This practical household item helps keep opened bags of chips fresh. The specificity of “tortilla chips” adds a conversational touch to the clue.
2-Down: “Athlete’s frigid recovery treatment”
This refers to an ice bath, a recovery method in which athletes immerse themselves in ice-cold water to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after intense training or competition.
3-Down: “Prepared to eat, as a fish”
The answer is FILLETED. When fish is filleted, the bones are removed and it’s cut into serving portions, making it ready for cooking and consumption.
4-Down: “Shoes without heels.”
These would be FLATS. In the fashion world, flats are distinguished from heels as shoes with minimal to no heel height.
5-Down: “Brings (out)”
The answer is ELICITS. This verb means to draw out or evoke a response, reaction, or information. The parentheses around “out” indicate that the word can be used with or without “out” – you can “elicit” information or “elicit out” information.
6-Down: “Physicians’ grp.”
This abbreviation stands for AMA (American Medical Association), the professional organization for doctors in the United States. Abbreviations for professional organizations are crossword staples.
7-Down: “Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar ___ Cardi B”
The answer is AKA (Also Known As), referring to the stage name of the famous rapper Cardi B, whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar.
Final Thoughts
This Saturday (21 March 2025), Mini Crossword offers a nice balance of straightforward clues and those requiring specific knowledge or wordplay. Including contemporary references like Cardi B and more traditional crossword fare keeps the puzzle fresh and engaging for solvers of all ages and backgrounds.
Whether you breezed through today’s Mini or needed a hint or two, I hope this explanation has helped deepen your appreciation for the craft behind these daily brain teasers.
