‘Bit of romantic potential’ NYT Mini Crossword Aug. 5 answer and hints

A “Bit of romantic potential” is one of the more tricky clues from today’s NYT Crossword puzzle that’s causing quite a stir, because what is really considered romantic potential? Is it a feature, a trait, or something else entirely?

This clue, “Bit of romantic potential,” is from the NYT’s Aug. 5 mini crossword and it’s not easy to solve, which is why you’re here for answers. And I’ve got them below.

‘A bit of romantic potential’ Aug. 5 NYT Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: It starts with an “S.”
• Hint 2: It rhymes with dark.
• Hint 3: It gives you that feeling of excitement.
• Hint 4: Fire and electricity can also cause this reaction.

Solving one-down can be challenging. The answer is below if you’re still trying to solve it.

The answer to the “bit of romantic potential” clue is “SPARK.” When used in-context, a spark refers to the feeling of excitement or a person’s quality that causes someone to feel excited, according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Essentially, this spark gives a person hope for romance.

Now that you’ve solved the “bit of romantic potential” clue, the rest of the NYT mini crossword puzzle should be easier to crack.

All Aug. 5 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clues and answers

Across

• 1A Bit of romantic potential—SPARK
• 6A Once able to pass a Captcha test (hopefully!)—HUMAN
• 7A Protein-building acid type—AMINO
• 8A Card tricks, disappearing acts, etc.—MAGIC
• 9A Failed to float—SANK

Down

• 1D Decorative pillow cover—SHAM
• 2D Mountain lions—PUMAS
• 3D Female friend in Spanish—AMIGA
• 4D Rushed through the door—RAN IN
• 5D When repeated, classic kind of joke—KNOCK

‘A bit of romantic potential’ clue difficulty

When I first read this clue, I thought it may have been a feature or a trait that causes someone to believe there’s a “bit of romantic potential.” While that wasn’t correct, I was actually on the right path. I got the answer after solving a few of the surrounding clues. So, this clue wasn’t impossible to solve, but it was tricky, and I’d give it a three out of five.

Try these puzzles next after the NYT Mini Crossword puzzle

The LA Times and Washington Post have daily mini crossword puzzles you can play if you’ve finished NYT’s or if you simply want to play another mini crossword. The NYT also has two other games, Strands and Spelling Bee, both of which are word-based games if you’d like to search for themed words or expand your vocabulary.