I spent a while trying different five-letter bad words for today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue “curse word,” but none of them worked. It took me some more time to realize that this clue isn’t about testing your knowledge of profanity.
While some common offensive words fit 1A, it would be surprising if the puzzle required us to guess dirty words with such a broad clue. Instead, to find the answer, you need to think of a synonym for the clue. Here’s how you can figure it out yourself.
Hints and answer to “Curse word” NYT Mini Crossword clue
Hint 1: Wrong answer
Any specific uses of foul language you can think of are wrong and not the answer.
Hint 2: Meaning
Look for a synonym of “curse word” and remove “word” from it, and you have your answer.
Hint 3: Context
It’s the name you give to jars where people, especially in families, put money in whenever they say a curse word.
Answer
The answer to “curse word” is “SWEAR.”
How can you play past Mini Crossword puzzles?
The easiest way to play previous NYT Mini Crossword puzzles is to subscribe to The New York Times and access their puzzle archive page. If you’re looking for free alternatives, you can play different minis daily on the LA Times and Washington Post websites.
If you’re looking for other word games, I recommend checking out Strands and Spelling Bee for new challenges.
