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Spoilers — Thursday, October 16, 2025: Across answers are WINE, SAMOA, KNOTS, INLET and PADS. Down answers are WANNA, IMOLD, NOTES, EAST and SKIP.
Hints for the October 16 Mini
If you want to solve before seeing the full grid, use these clue prompts first. The dated guide describes this puzzle as a 5×5 Mini.
- Across: Think of a red or white drink; a Pacific island country; a pizzeria garlic appetizer; a small coastal waterway; and football protection.
- Down: Complete a casual question about a bet; a remark about being out of touch with a modern reference; feedback from a movie studio; a direction associated with 3 o’clock; and the button used to get past a YouTube ad.
Full answers: October 16, 2025
Clues and fills are listed below. The complete list is reported by All Things How; Forbes independently reports the same answers.
Across
| Number | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red or white, but not blue | WINE |
| 5 | Island country whose culture inspired much of “Moana” | SAMOA |
| 6 | Garlic ___ (pizzeria appetizer) | KNOTS |
| 7 | Small coastal waterway | INLET |
| 8 | Protective football gear | PADS |
Down
| Number | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “___ bet?” | WANNA |
| 2 | Remark after not getting a modern reference | IMOLD |
| 3 | Movie studio’s feedback for a director | NOTES |
| 4 | 3 o’clock, directionally | EAST |
| 5 | Button pressed to escape a YouTube ad | SKIP |
Where to play the Mini
The New York Times says the Mini can be played at NYT Games, in the New York Times Games app for iOS and Android, or from the Play tab of the New York Times News app. Its help information says Games and All Access subscribers can access past Mini puzzles in the archive. See the NYT Mini help page for availability details.
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