ThePolyMathPursuit
1. Theme:Â Wordplay + Pop Culture
2. Difficulty: MediumÂ
3. Average Solve Time: 1–2 minutes
4. Pro Tip:Â Focus on short, common words first!Â
5. Best For: Beginners and Speed Solver
6. Puzzle Owner: Joel Fagliano, New York Time
Today's New York Times Mini Crossword brought in just the right level of challenge — not too easy, not head-banging hard either. You know that feeling when a clue clicks and you get a little rush? Yeah, lots of those today.
– 1A Chef's creation — DISH – 5A: Iconic Madonna hit of 1990 — VOGUE – 6A: Section of a tennis court used when playing doubles — ALLEY – 7A: State of mind — MOOD – 8A: Not amateur — PRO
– 1D: Rarely-used word meaning “sadness” — DOLOR – 2D: Snow place like home? — IGLOO – 3D: Went after in court — SUED – 4D: “Yo” — HEY – 5D: Fill time on stage — VAMP
It's the mix of smart clues and playful ones... Plus, solving puzzles feels productive... And when you finish one? Straight dopamine hit.