NYT Crossword Answers — July 29, 2026
The NYT-style Mini for July 29, 2026 packs a full puzzle into a tiny grid, and today's solution set spans everyday vocabulary from PLAY, ROSE, BOOKS, POSE. Today's mini crossword features common words and phrases, including a reference to Beauty and the Beast and yoga poses. Because the Mini is so compact, every square does double duty — each letter belongs to both an across answer and a down answer — so a single confident entry can unlock the whole board. Today the shortest answer, YES, is the kind of gimme that gives you crossing letters for the trickier fill, while the longest entry, BOOKS, anchors the grid and often takes a crossing or two to confirm. If you're checking your work or you got stuck on one stubborn square, the complete answer key below lists every across and down clue with its solution and a short explanation. We publish these Mini answers every day, so bookmark the archive and come back whenever a clue has you second-guessing. And if reading the answers gives you the itch to solve one yourself, our free Mini Crossword plays the same way — no subscription and no account required.
NYT Mini Crossword Answers
Today's mini crossword features common words and phrases, including a reference to Beauty and the Beast and yoga poses.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Work's opposite | PLAY | Work's opposite is play, as in leisure or recreation. |
| 5. Glass-encased flower in "Beauty and the Beast" | ROSE | The enchanted rose is under glass in Beauty and the Beast. |
| 6. Stack on a nightstand | BOOKS | A stack of books is often placed on a nightstand. |
| 7. Tree or cobra, in yoga class | POSE | Tree pose and cobra pose are yoga positions. |
| 8. Not that many | AFEW | AFew means a small number, not many. |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Measure of alcoholic content | PROOF | Proof measures the alcohol content of a beverage. |
| 2. Feeling relaxed | LOOSE | Feeling loose means relaxed and at ease. |
| 3. Slightly crooked | ASKEW | Askew means slightly crooked or off-kilter. |
| 4. Rarely true response to "Have you read our terms and conditions?" | YES | Yes is rarely the true answer to reading terms and conditions. |
| 6. ___-free (label on water bottles) | BPA | BPA-free is a common label on water bottles. |
Every answer explained
PLAY
Clue: Work's opposite
Work's opposite is play, as in leisure or recreation. As a 4-letter word with 1 vowel, PLAY interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
ROSE
Clue: Glass-encased flower in "Beauty and the Beast"
The enchanted rose is under glass in Beauty and the Beast. With 2 vowels across 4 letters, ROSE is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
BOOKS
Clue: Stack on a nightstand
A stack of books is often placed on a nightstand. With 2 vowels across 5 letters, BOOKS is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
POSE
Clue: Tree or cobra, in yoga class
Tree pose and cobra pose are yoga positions. As a 4-letter word with 2 vowels, POSE interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
AFEW
Clue: Not that many
AFew means a small number, not many. As a 4-letter word with 2 vowels, AFEW interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
PROOF
Clue: Measure of alcoholic content
Proof measures the alcohol content of a beverage. With 2 vowels across 5 letters, PROOF is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
LOOSE
Clue: Feeling relaxed
Feeling loose means relaxed and at ease. LOOSE is a tidy 5-letter fill (3 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
ASKEW
Clue: Slightly crooked
Askew means slightly crooked or off-kilter. With 2 vowels across 5 letters, ASKEW is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
YES
Clue: Rarely true response to "Have you read our terms and conditions?"
Yes is rarely the true answer to reading terms and conditions. YES is a tidy 3-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
BPA
Clue: ___-free (label on water bottles)
BPA-free is a common label on water bottles. With 1 vowel across 3 letters, BPA is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
Tips for solving
- 1Start with the fill-in-the-blank and short (3-letter) clues — they're usually the fastest points and hand you crossing letters for everything else.
- 2Work outward from your most confident answer instead of top-to-bottom; in a Mini, one solid entry unlocks four or five neighbors.
- 3If a clue ends in a question mark, expect wordplay or a pun rather than a literal definition.
- 4Plural clues almost always mean the answer ends in S — pencil that last letter in early.
- 5When two answers seem possible, let the crossing clue break the tie rather than guessing.