‘One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit’ NYT Mini Crossword clue answer and hints

Many different types of awards are given out to recognize impressive achievements. Today’s “One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit” clue on the NYT Mini Crossword challenges you to recall the name of one of the biggest rewards someone can receive.

The wording of this clue can make it a pretty tricky one to solve since it makes the solution seem far more complex than it actually is. This is an easy one to get stuck on, so here are some hints and the answer for the “One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit” clue on the Oct. 1 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle.

‘One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit’ NYT Oct. 1 Mini Crossword hints

• Hint 1: It ends with the letter “R.”
• Hint 2: Cinematic achievements are recognized by this award.
• Hint 3: An anagram for this word is “ORCAS.”
• Hint 4: The name of this award is also the name of one of Sesame Street’s main characters.

If you don’t want to know the answer just yet, stop here. Once you’re ready to learn it, read on.

‘One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit’ NYT Mini answer

The solution for the “One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit” clue on the Oct. 1 NYT Mini Crossword is “OSCAR.” This word refers to the iconic small golden person statue given to actors, directors, and other film professionals every year at the Academy Awards. This award show is often called The Oscars after the iconic trophy. Another name for this trophy is the Academy Award of Merit, which is why “OSCAR” is the solution for this clue.

‘One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit’ clue difficulty rating

Something about the wording of the “One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit” clue makes it seem far more complex than it actually is. The solution itself is pretty straightforward, but it’s not easy to determine what this hint is asking, making it a decently tricky one to solve.

I don’t think this is one of the hardest clues I’ve seen, but it’s certainly tougher than most. With this in mind, I’m giving the “One is officially called an Academy Award of Merit” clue a four out of five difficulty rating.

All Oct. 1 NYT Mini Crossword clues and answers

Across

• 1A One is officially called an “Academy Award of Merit” — OSCAR
• 6A Aquatic mammal whose closest terrestrial relative is the hippopotamus — WHALE
• 7A Charlie Brown’s friend with a blanket — LINUS
• 8A City founded by twin brothers, according to legend — ROME
• 9A Something to cram for — TEST

Down

• 1D The bird Duo in Duolingo’s logo, e.g. — OWL
• 2D Button-up or button-down — SHIRT
• 3D Olympic racing vessel since 1936 — CANOE
• 4D Class reunion attendees — ALUMS
• 5D Button you might need a paper clip to press on an electronic device — RESET

Best games like the NYT Mini Crossword

There are plenty of other puzzles like the NYT Mini Crossword if you’re hoping to complete more word games. The LA Times and the Washington Post are great options if you want to navigate through some more crosswords. You also might consider trying Strands and Spelling Bee instead if you would rather try some more unique word game puzzles.