Good morning! Your daily mental warm-up is here: the NYT Mini Crossword for Thursday, July 17, 2025. Enjoy these crisp answers with unique explanations to help your readers breeze through the puzzle.
Today’s Answers in One Glance
Across
- GYMS – Workout hubs, perfect for morning energizers
- LEAK – A playful reversal of “pipe dream”
- JOLLY – Cheerful and full of holiday spirit
- ABLE – Ready and competent enough to handle it
- MESS – Literally headache‑inducing chaos
Down
- GLOBE – Boston’s iconic daily newspaper
- YELLS – Speaking with volume (all caps, anyone?)
- MALES – Like mallard ducks sporting green heads
- SKY – The realm where drones take flight
- JAM – To rock out or groove to music
Clever Clue Insights
- LEAN & FIT: “GYMS” is a solid grid starter—and relevant for back-to-gym season!
- SNEAKY WORDPLAY: “LEAK” turns “pipe dream” on its head, offering a chuckle-worthy twist.
- MOOD BOOST: “JOLLY” always brings a smile, especially midweek.
- CAPABILITY CHECK: “ABLE” is one of those short but satisfying fill-ons that unlocks crosses.
- PUBLICATION POWER: “GLOBE” evokes Boston’s journalistic legacy.
- NATURE NOTE: “MALES” doubles as a natural trivia fact about ducks.
Tips to Turbocharge Your Solve
- Go for the easy fills first—short words like “GYMS,” “SKY,” and “JAM” give you a quick win.
- Watch for twisty clues—like “LEAK”—where the wording is purposely reversed.
- Cross-watch—booster letters from one fill can help nail elusive words in the grid.
- Context helps—clues referencing places or animals often point to proper nouns or collective terms.
