If you are stuck on today’s New York Times Mini Crossword, you aren’t alone. Today’s puzzle features a specific type of difficulty common in daily word games: the split clue. This occurs when two separate entries (1-Across and 6-Across) combine to form a single phrase, effectively reducing the number of independent clues provided to the solver.
Below are the full answers and solutions for the April 24 edition.
Across Solutions
The primary challenge in today’s grid is the two-part clue that links the first two entries.
- 1-Across: DRAMA
- 6-Across: QUEEN
(Note: Together, these form the phrase “Drama Queen,” describing someone who thrives on chaos or messiness.) - 7-Across: STILT
- 8-Across: HOO
- 9-Across: SUN
Down Solutions
The vertical entries provide a mix of common abbreviations, brand names, and linguistic patterns.
- 1-Down: DQS (Informal shorthand for disqualifications)
- 2-Down: RUTHS (Referring to the Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain)
- 3-Down: AEIOU (The standard quintet of English vowels)
- 4-Down: MELON
Solver’s Tip: Navigating Split Clues
The “split clue” format used in 1-Across and 6-Across is a frequent tactic in NYT puzzles. While it adds a layer of lateral thinking, it can feel frustrating because it requires you to solve for one word while keeping the other in mind to ensure the phrase makes sense. When encountering a clue that says “See [Number]-Across,” always look at the intersecting words to confirm you have the right part of the phrase.
Summary: Today’s puzzle relies on a compound phrase (“Drama Queen”) to bridge the top of the grid, requiring solvers to connect two separate entries to find the solution.
