‘Windy City airport’ NYT Crossword clue hints and answers

America has a lot of airports, so it can be difficult trying to know all of them, and the “Windy City airport” is a tough one in the July 14 Crossword if you don’t know.

The NYT Mini Crossword does its best to diversify its clues. Now and again though, it makes sense to tap into a clue closer to home. The “Windy City airport” clue is a prime example of this, and I have the answer you’re waiting for.

Windy City airport solution in NYT Mini Crossword

• Hint 1: The full airport name has an apostrophe in it.
• Hint 2: The Windy City is Chicago.
• Hint 3: Four of the letters are a homophone for something that can be found all over the human body.
• Hint 4: It begins with an “O.”

I feel this is as close to the final answer as I can get without telling you directly—so let’s reveal all.

The answer is “OHARE,” and it’s short for O’Hare International Airport. It is based in Chicago, Illinois, and is a central hub to many of America’s top states. First opened in 1944, it is recognized as one of the busiest and most active airports in the world.

All July 14 NYT Crossword puzzle answers

Across

• 1A TV character who says “Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals…except the weasel” — HOMER
• 6A Windy City Airport — OHARE
• 7A The only one in the song “Tequila” is “tequila” — LYRIC
• 8A Crypto lead-in to coin — DOGE
• 9A Take to court — SUE

Down

• 1D Waits for a customer service representative, say — HOLDS
• 2D Don’t make me blush!” — OH YOU
• 3D TV character who says “I forgot to clean the lint basket in the dryer. If someone broke into the house and did laundry, it could start a fire” — MARGE
• 4D Shallowest of the Great Lakes — ERIE
• 5D Video camera button — REC

Difficulty of July 14 NYT Crossword puzzle, explained

You don’t need to be American to know Chicago is the Windy City, as it’s a popular piece of trivia knowledge in quizzes and apps. However, knowing Airports (outside of the most famous ones) falls into a niche category, and it can get tricky once you leave the confines of your own country. I’m familiar with the likes of JFK, Newark, Miami International Airport, and a few others; however, O’Hare has now been added to my memory bank—so I’ll say it’s four stars out of five for the difficulty if you’re not US-based, and a two or three if you are.

How to play more free Crosswords and puzzles like NYT Mini

We regularly promote the same few puzzles as being the best of the best you can play when it comes to free Crossword and similar puzzles. The LA Times and Washington Post are perfect for pure crosswords, and for a slight tweak on the formula, try out Strands and Spelling Bee.