The New York Times Mini Crossword for August 12, 2025 is a quick but satisfying solve with a hidden seasonal touch. Today’s starred clues even connect to a summer phrase — we’ll touch on that at the end.
Here’s your Across clue breakdown with answers and explanations:
Also check:
- NYT Crossword Answers August 12, 2025
- NYT Strands Answers August 12, 2025
- NYT Connections Answers August 12, 2025
Across Clues & Answers
1A – *Workplace for scientists → LAB
A laboratory, the place where scientists research, experiment, and analyze. (Starred clue: part of the hidden theme.)
4A – *Grub → CHOW
Slang for food. This could refer to eating a meal or the grub itself. (Starred clue: part of the hidden theme.)
6A – Maliciously revealed one’s private identity, informally → DOXED
From “dropping docs,” meaning to publish personal information online without permission — a cyber harassment tactic.
8A – Spanish “but” → PERO
The direct Spanish translation of “but,” common in beginner-level vocabulary.
9A – Gasoline type: Abbr. → REG
Short for “regular” — the most common fuel grade at gas stations.
Down Clues & Answers (Quick Reference)
1D – TV screen option, for short → LCD
Liquid crystal display, common in TVs and monitors.
2D – __, a skip and a jump → A HOP
From the phrase “a hop, skip, and a jump” — meaning a short distance away.
3D – *Someone who’s always taking jabs at you? → BOXER
A clever play on words — could be teasing verbally or literally jabbing like a boxer in the ring. (Starred clue: part of the hidden theme.)
4D – Used to be → WERE
Past tense of “to be.”
5D – ___ days (time of summer suggested by the answers to the starred clues) → DOG
This ties the puzzle together — “Dog Days” of summer. The starred clues (LAB, CHOW, BOXER) are all dog breeds.
🐶 Mini Crossword Theme Insight
The starred Across answers (LAB, CHOW, BOXER) aren’t just random words — they’re also dog breeds. Paired with DOG (5D), the puzzle subtly references the “Dog Days” of summer, the hottest and often laziest time of the year.
This is a fun classic NYT Mini move — hide a seasonal theme in otherwise simple clues for that small Sunday-style “aha” moment in a bite-sized puzzle.
🧩 Quick Solving Tips for the NYT Mini
- Spot the theme — even in a mini, starred clues often mean there’s a connecting thread.
- Look for short gimmick entries — 3- and 4-letter answers often unlock big sections.
- Check crossings — the Mini grid is so small that each new letter gives you fast solves elsewhere.
Today’s August 12, 2025 Mini was short, sweet, and seasonally clever — exactly why this daily puzzle is a favorite warm-up for crossword fans.
