‘Cymbal drum kit’ part NYT Crossword clue hints and answers

The July 16 NYT Mini Crossword beats to the sound of its drum with an interesting clue asking you to decipher a type of cymbal commonly used as a “drum kit part.”

Everyone knows what drums are, but few know the full configuration of a sizable drum kit setup. There are a lot of moving parts in a big drum kit (literally) and knowing one certain cymbal part is useful for the July 16 NYT Mini Crossword.

Types of cymbals NYT July 16 Crossword solution

• Hint 1: You do this word on a bike.
• Hint 2: You shouldn’t literally do this to the cymbal. Otherwise, you could break it.
• Hint 3: Metallica wants you to ____ The Lightning. 
• Hint 4: It begins with an “R.”

That’s your lot in terms of clues for “____ cymbal (drum kit part),” and it’s time to give you the answer.

The answer to two down is “RIDE.” This part of the drum kit is used fairly regularly across all walks of musical genres and is important for beats and rhythms.

As a lover of metal music and the carnage it delivers, the ride features very prominently in fast and aggressive drum patterns usually occurring in higher-tempo songs—something I’m very partial to!

All July 16 NYT Mini Crossword answers

Across

• 1A Loud sound of a cymbal — CRASH
• 6A Thin and graceful — LITHE
• 7A Decorate (with) — ADORN
• 8A Country in the Arab League — YEMEN
• 9A Shade of blue for a nursery’s ceiling, maybe — SKY

Down

• 1D Potter’s material — CLAY
• 2D ___ cymbal (drum kit part) — RIDE
• 3D What’s the matter with them? — ATOMS
• 4D Ogre who asks “What are you doing in my swamp?!” — SHREK
• 5D ___ Penny, rhyming children’s story character — HENNY

Difficulty of July 16 NYT drum kit part puzzle

The ride is not as well-known as other aspects of a drum kit, such as the snare, toms, or even a regular hi-hat. I would argue it’s not as obscure as a China cymbal, though, so I’m heading out a three out of five rating for the fiendish of the clue.

How to play more free Crosswords and puzzles like NYT Mini

For even more fun word games designed to test your brain in the morning or to spend some free time during the middle of it, be sure to give the LA Times and Washington Post a go, along with Strands and Spelling Bee.