NYT Mini Crossword: Friday, October 25th – Solutions and Spooky Fun!
A Spooky NYT Mini Crossword Puzzle That's Clever AF!
The NYT Mini Crossword? It keeps getting better! And today's puzzle, Friday, October 25th, is a seriously clever one; those crossword geniuses really outdid themselves with this! It involves a really unusual trick to fit this particular puzzle into place; one that is super unusual and at first looks kind of broken; however the brilliance is not obvious initially.
The NYT Mini, in case you missed it, is a shorter, quicker version of their larger puzzle, a five by five grid that uses clever wording which means the solutions are found rather simply once the right approach has been used; yet it does initially seem rather difficult to solve upon examination! They usually involve less than five clues; although some can involve a larger space; yet still remain easy to solve for regular puzzle solvers. If you need a fun distraction this is perfect, this is one of the very rare days when that entire approach is both innovative and unexpectedly useful!
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword: Clues and Answers (with a Spooky Twist!)
Across
- 1) Blurb on a Bumble profile - BIO
- 4) Pattern that helps you blend in, informally - CAMO
- 5) Japanese electronics brand - CASIO
- 6) ___ acid (protein builder) - AMINO
- 7) Cry when you see 3-Down on your card - OOOOO
Down
- 1) Sink fixture - BASIN
- 2) Messaging, AOL-style - IMING
- 3) Row of five that prompts you to shout "7-Across!" - BINGO
- 4) Sleeveless top for layering - CAMI
- 5) Taxi - CAB
(Note: the “OOOO” really messed me up, until it finally made sense. That unusual addition cleverly means every word ends with “O”! That really makes it quite interesting and adds a touch of halloween fun!)
Unraveling the Mystery: The Genius of the "OOOO" Clue
Yes, "OOOO" isn't a word. But that’s what made this puzzle brilliant! It acts as the blank column in a Bingo board! (It looks rather silly; even wrong, to be perfectly honest; but as this article goes further, the genius reveals itself. And to actually solve it the puzzle is set in a way to completely require all words from the “across” solutions to necessarily end in “O”; this is why it really stands out!) You solve the first four Across clues, then “Bingo!” hits–because everything finally lines up. Seriously clever!
Conclusion: NYT Mini Crossword's October 25th Puzzle
Today's NYT Mini Crossword really delivers a delightful surprise for its viewers, with many being truly caught by that odd “OOOO”. The unexpected twist that cleverly made a “non-word” a perfectly functional, thematic addition to that classic puzzle only goes to show just why many have enjoyed these short daily challenges!
