‘Bad thing to drop while riding a chairlift’ NYT Crossword clue hints and answers

It’s always the three-letter clues in the NYT Mini Crossword that stump people, and “Bad thing to drop while riding a chairlift” is the latest entry to cause a ruckus.

Clues lie within clues—this is why crosswords are so addictive. You unravel one mystery to get to the root of the real problem. In this case, if you work out what a chairlift is and its purpose, you can slalom your way to victory with the July 12 NYT Mini Crossword word game.

Bad thing to drop while riding a chairlift NYT Mini Crossword solution and hints

• Hint 1: It almost spells out something you can see outside.
• Hint 2: Skip a letter.
• Hint 3: It rhymes with Flea.
• Hint 4: It begins with an “S.”

It’s that time when I give you the answer in the event the hints above haven’t led you to the holy grail.

The correct answer is “SKI.” A chairlift is used to cart those less physically abled around a house to move upstairs and downstairs, but they are also a standard mode of transport at ski resorts to take riders up to the top of slopes to begin a speedy descent.

So, if you’re gradually making your way to the top of a mountain and you drop a ski while on the chairlift, it’s not very conducive to skiing! This was a fun little clue, and I always love the three-letter answers in the NYT Mini Crossword.

All July 12 NYT Crossword puzzle answers

Across

• 1A Bad thing to drop while riding a chairlift — SKI
• 4A Batman’s archenemy — JOKER
• 6A What a cartoon character might grab onto if they’re swallowed whole — UVULA
• 7A Big name in PCs — DELL
• 8A “For Your Eyes ____” (1981 Bond film) — ONLY

Down

• 1D Prop for Hamlet when he says “Alas, poor Yorick!” — SKULL
• 2D Grace who starred in three Hitchcock films — KELLY
• 3D Savings plan option, for short — IRA
• 4D Olympic sport from Japan — JUDO
• 5D Place for roasting — OVEN

How to play Crosswords and puzzles like NYT Mini Crossword

Whether you smashed today’s NYT Mini Crossword or not, don’t stop here, do more. Opt for Strands and Spelling Bee as they present a different challenge from the conventional crossword challenge the NYT serves up each day. The LA Times and Washington Post are also available if you like standard crosswords.