‘Cheer for a diva’ NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clue answer and hints

Have you ever witnessed a mind-blowing performance and showered your love for an artist? Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue, “Cheer for a diva,” asks you to find an Italian word to praise female performers after they’ve taken your breath away. 

If today’s NYT Mini Crossword clues prove to be a challenge, you can use our hints and answers to make it easy and breeze through the word game.

‘Cheer for a diva’ NYT Oct. 26 Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The answer is used in performances.
• Hint 2: The five-letter solution is an Italian word often heard in theaters or opera houses.
• Hint 3: It starts with the letter “B.”
• Hint 4: The solution’s male-gender alternative is bravo.

Let’s jump in and reveal the answer.

The answer to four across in the Oct. 26 New York Times Mini Crossword is “BRAVA.” The clue “cheer for a diva” points toward appreciating female performers, and Brava is the feminine form of bravo. In Italian grammar, you would use brava to cheer for a woman performer while using the traditional bravo for a man.

‘Cheer for a diva’ NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

While you can shower your love on a performer by saying a lot of words, brava is definitely not a common word for praising female performers. I didn’t get the word on my first try, and after finding the first few letters, I was convinced it was going to be bravo. 

However, as I understood the Italian grammar, I figured out why the clue refers specifically to female artists. If you’re someone from Italy, then this clue would be easy for you to solve. So, I’d give it a four out of five for difficulty. 

NYT Mini Crossword (Oct. 26) answers

Across

• 1A “What ___?” (end of a riddle) — AM I
• 4A Cheer for a diva — BRAVA
• 6A 2024 Chappell Roan hit spelled out in its chorus — HOT TO GO
• 8A Conjunction that “et” (French) or “y” (Spanish) translates to — AND
• 9A Danson of “Cheers” — TED
• 10A Place to dive in a pool — DEEP END
• 11A What a bloodhound tracks — SCENT
• 12A Activist Yoko — ONO

Down

• 1D Architectural style of Manhattan’s Chrysler Building — ART DECO
• 2D One might say “Welcome!” or “Beware of Dog” — MAT
• 3D “Thumbs down from me” — I VOTE NO
• 4D Skeleton’s makeup — BONES
• 5D Word after ticket or talent — AGENT
• 6D “I’ve ___ it up to here with you!” — HAD
• 7D Strange — ODD
• 11D Item on a chain at a bank branch — PEN

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

When the NYT Mini Crossword word games leave you scratching your head, you can boost your puzzle-solving skills with the LA Times and Washington Post. However, if you’re in the market for something else, try diving into Strands and Spelling Bee, which are fun alternatives.