‘Give false hope to’ NYT Mini Crossword (Aug. 16) answer and hints

Today’s NYT Mini clue, “Give false hope to,” is about deception. Maybe you’ve been promised a cup of tea by a loved one, but it never emerges from the kitchen. It’s heartbreaking, but use that fire to solve this clue.

‘Give false hope to’ NYT Mini clue hints

Before I give you the answer, I’m going to offer you four hints (take them or leave them) to help solve this clue.

• Hint 1: The answer is actually two words.
• Hint 2: If you’re interested in someone romantically and they give you the impression they reciprocate when they don’t.
• Hint 3: You can put a ____ __ a dog.
• Hint 4: First word begins with “L” and the second begins with an “O.”

If you still can’t crack this clue, read on for the answer. If you want to keep trying, don’t go any further.

‘Give false hope to’ NYT Mini clue answer

The answer to the NYT Mini clue, “Give false hope to,” is “LEAD ON.” You can lead someone on by giving them the impression you believe or feel someone you don’t. Merriam-Webster defines the verb “lead on” as “to entice or induce to adopt or continue in a course or belief, especially when unwise or mistaken.”

‘Give false hope to’ NYT Mini clue difficulty rating

This is one of those very annoying NTY Mini answers that consists of two words, but the clue never explicitly tells you that. If you solve the clues around this one, you may get to the answer, but the fact it’s two words can still throw you off. So, I’m giving this clue a four out of five difficulty rating.

All NYT Mini Aug. 16 answers

Across

• 1A Senegal’s neighbor to the east — MALI
• 5A ___ Allen White, star of TV’s “The Bear” — JEREMY
• 7A Make a getaway — ESCAPE
• 8A What’s longer in the morning and evening than it is at noon — SHADOWS
• 9A Voices below altos — TENORS
• 10A No longer in the Drafts folder — SENT

Down

• 6D Coniferous trees with red berries — YEWS
• 1D Interlocks (with) — MESHES
• 2D Esoteric — ARCANE
• 3D Give false hope to — LEAD ON
• 4D Ship into the country — IMPORT
• 5D “Surely you___!” — JEST

How to play more word games like the NYT Mini

Planning a quiet Friday night in? Why not spice things up with more word games? For more crosswords, try the LA Times, The Atlantic, and the Washington Post. If you’re looking for something a bit different, try out Strands and Spelling Bee.