Sat Jan 11 08:50:00 UTC 2025: ## NYT Mini Crossword Answers & Difficulty Spark Debate

**New York, NY** – The New York Times Mini Crossword, a free daily puzzle available online and through the NYT Games app, challenged players on Friday with an unusually difficult grid. While typically featuring a smaller number of clues, Friday’s puzzle presented a larger-than-average layout and several uncommon clues, leading to online discussion among solvers.

One solver noted the difficulty of clues like “Yow” and “What the,” describing them as atypical for the Mini. The clue for “Lilies,” identified as flowers with tiger and trumpet varieties, also caused confusion for some who initially considered “Orchids.” While the answer to the clue referencing the actress with the record number of Oscar nominations, Meryl Streep, was widely known, the overall difficulty of the puzzle surprised many regular players.

The full answers for Friday’s NYT Mini Crossword are:

* **5 Across:** LILIES
* **7 Across:** YOGAMAT
* **8 Across:** OCD
* **9 Across:** ICE
* **10 Across:** WHATTHE
* **12 Across:** STREEP
* **1 Down:** BIGDATA
* **4 Down:** TEACHES
* **5 Down:** LOCHS
* **6 Down:** STEEP
* **11 Down:** TRI

The unexpected challenge highlights the occasional variance in difficulty even within this typically quick-to-solve puzzle. The incident sparked a conversation about puzzle design and the diverse range of knowledge required to tackle even seemingly simple crosswords.

Read More