‘Lowers in rank’ NYT Mini Crossword clue answer and hints

Have you ever seen a soccer team move to the lower division due to a string of poor performances? Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue, “lowers in rank,” asks you to find an official formal word that you’d use to describe a team or a person who goes down in rank. 

If today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue is proving to be difficult, then you can use our hints and answers below to beat the puzzle easily.

‘Lowers in rank’ NYT Oct. 12 Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The answer is often used to describe a soccer team being relegated to a lower division. 
• Hint 2: The seven-letter solution means to downgrade someone’s rank or position.
• Hint 3: It starts with the letter “D.” 
• Hint 4: The solution’s opposite word for promotion.

Let’s jump in and reveal the answer.

The answer to five down in the Oct. 12 New York Times Mini Crossword is “DEMOTES.” According to Merriam-Webster, the word demote means “to relegate to a less important position,” which fits perfectly with the clue. 

‘Lowers in rank’ NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword “lowers in rank” was fairly easy to solve. When one talks about going down or lowering ranks in any context, they mostly talk about a potential demotion. However, it is not a regular phenomenon, and you wouldn’t use this word in your everyday conversation, so it might become harder to solve for many. So, I’d give it a three out of five for difficulty.

NYT Mini Crossword (Oct. 12) answers

Across

• 1A Had sore muscles—ACHED
• 6A Rolled pastry that’s German for “whirlpool”—STRUDEL
• 8A Setting for the 2014 film “Selma”—ALABAMA
• 9A Jurisprudence—LAW
• 10A Word, in French—MOT
• 11A Last day for a scheduled session, say—END DATE
• 13A Speak with pauses—STAMMER
• 14A Woodcutting tools with arched blades—ADZES

Down

• 1D Home of the Braves—ATLANTA
• 2D Crustacean in Cajun cuisine—CRAWDAD
• 3D What 1-Down is, for Delta Airlines—HUB
• 4D Soybeans served in the pod—EDAMAME
• 5D Lowers in rank—DEMOTES
• 6D Retail activity—SALES
• 7D “Not now!”—LATER
• 12D Area between North and South Korea, for short—DMZ

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

If the NYT Mini word games are giving you a hard time, then you can turn to the LA Times and Washington Post for a change of pace. You can also enjoy something different with Strands and Spelling Bee, which also help expand your vocabulary.