If you’re anything like me, the day is not complete until I complete all of the free word games from the New York Times. Working on the daily Connections, Wordle and Strands is a whole ritual for many of us. And we can’t forget about the NYT’s The Mini Crossword, too!Although the NYT is known for “The Crossword,” a larger puzzle for paid subscribers, The Mini has quite the fan-following as well.If you’re working on today’s Mini on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, and need some help (I’ve been there), get ready to read the clues and solutions for each line. We have them separated into hints first for both “Across” and “Down” words, followed by “Across Answers” and “Down Answers,” so be careful if you want to avoid spoilers as you scroll!

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Here are additional clues for each of the words in today’s Mini Crossword.

1 Across: Word after “cheap as” or “old as” — HINT: It starts with the letter “D”

5 Across: Sean _____, director who won four Oscars for “Anora” — HINT: It ends with the letter “R”6 Across: “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” musical — HINT: It starts with the letter “A”7 Across: Pastry at a tea shop — HINT: It ends with the letter “E”8 Across: Works on a quilt, perhaps — HINT: It starts with the letter “S”1 Down: “Never give a sword to a man who can’t _____”: Confucius — HINT: It ends with the letter “E”

2 Down: “You don’t need to tell me!” — HINT: It starts with the letter “I”

3 Down: Straps for a horseback rider — HINT: It ends with the letter “S”

4 Down: One might be shady — HINT: It starts with the letter “T”

5 Down: Big Mouth Billy ____ (singing animatronic fish) — HINT: It ends with the letter “S”Don’t go any further unless you want to know exactly what the correct words are in today’s Mini Crossword.

1 Across: Word after “cheap as” or “old as” — DIRT

5 Across: Sean _____, director who won four Oscars for “Anora” — BAKER

6 Across: “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” musical — ANNIE

7 Across: Pastry at a tea shop — SCONE8 Across: Works on a quilt, perhaps — SEWS1 Down: “Never give a sword to a man who can’t _____”: Confucius — DANCE

2 Down: “You don’t need to tell me!” — IKNOW

3 Down: Straps for a horseback rider — REINS

4 Down: One might be shady — TREE

5 Down: Big Mouth Billy ____ (singing animatronic fish) — BASSThat’s it! How quickly were you able to complete today’s Mini?!

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