‘Dissolve away, as minerals’ NYT Mini Crossword answer and hints

When was the last time you studied geology? Yep, it’s a real science covering rocks, minerals, and other important elements that make up the earth’s structure. Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue “Dissolve away, as minerals” also tests your geology knowledge and asks you to name a process in the environment. 

However, if you can’t find the right answer, here are today’s hints and answers for the NYT Mini Crossword on Aug. 31 to guide you on the right path. 

‘Dissolve away, as minerals’ NYT Aug. 31 Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The answer is often used in geology and mining, where water dissolves minerals from rocks or soil.
• Hint 2: The solution is a natural/industrial process that can lead to environmental issues, such as when harmful substances are washed into groundwater.
• Hint 3: It starts with the letter “L.”
• Hint 4: The answer rhymes with “beach.”

Let’s dig deep and reveal the answer. 

Did you already see it coming? The answer to four across in the Aug. 31 New York Times Mini Crossword is “LEACH.” According to Merriam-Webster, a leach is “to dissolve out by the action of a percolating liquid.” In this particular case, the clue gives you two parts. The “Dissolve away” part describes the washing away nature of leaching while “as minerals” shows the process involving minerals, which are often subject to leaching in natural and industrial contexts.

‘Dissolve away, as minerals’ NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

Another Saturday clue which is very subject niche in today’s NYT Mini Crossword. Even though we use leach for many reasons in our conversations, rarely do we describe it as a part of Hydrometallurgy or focus on its impact on the environment.

For that reason, I’d give it a four out of five for difficulty.

NYT Mini Crossword (Aug. 31) answers

Across

• 1A Gentle call from a dove—COO
• 4A Dissolve away, as minerals—LEACH
• 6A Hiker’s water container—CANTEEN
• 8A Befitting—APT
• 9A Word shortened to its middle letter in texts—ARE
• 10A Filaments—STRANDS
• 12A Submarine sandwiches, Philly-style—HOAGIES
• 13A “How do you ___?” (judge’s question)—PLEAD

Down

• 1D Alphabetically first time zone in the contiguous U.S.—CENTRAL
• 2D Granola grain—OAT
• 3D It includes Australia and Polynesia—OCEANIA
• 4D Telecommuter’s accessory—LAPTOP
• 5D Did a border collie’s job—HERDED
• 6D Alternative to “card” or “Apple Pay”—CASH
• 7D Loch ___ monster—NESS
• 11D Number of candles on a birthday cake, often—AGE

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

Love spending your mornings solving word games like the NYT Mini Crossword? Then try your brains on completing more crosswords at the LA Times and the Washington Post. You can also try Strands and Spelling Bee, which are great options for enhancing your vocabulary.