‘Film that was the highest-grossing of all time before Star Wars was released’ NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clue answer and hints

It’s hard to imagine a time when the Star Wars movies didn’t exist, because this franchise has been popular for decades. But, as today’s NYT crossword clue points out, there’s a “film that was the highest-grossest of all time before Star Wars.”

If you’re unsure which film this could be, don’t worry; you’ll find the answer to 1-down from the Sept. 30 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle below.

‘Film that was the highest-grossing of all time before Star Wars was released’ NYT Sept. 30 Mini Crossword clue hints and answer

• Hint 1: It starts with a “J.”
• Hint 2: It features a marine animal.
• Hint 3: The first film in this franchise came out in 1975.
• Hint 4: It was directed by Steven Spielberg.

The answer to the “Film that was the highest-grossing of all time before “Star Wars” was released” clue from the Sept. 30 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle is “JAWS.” The first Jaws film, which aired in 1975, grossed close to 500 million dollars worldwide. And it’s still considered one of the most terrifying films of all time.

NYT Mini Crossword puzzle: All Sept. 30 clues and answers

Across

• 1A What Jacuzzis, airports, and the N.F.L all have in common — JETS
• 5A Film franchise featuring Facehuggers — ALIEN
• 7A Use a loom — WEAVE
• 8A Threaded fastener — SCREW
• 9A Gets kissed by the sun — TANS

Down

• 1D Film that was the highest-grossing of all time before “Star Wars” was released — JAWS
• 2D Vote into office — ELECT
• 3D Headwear at a pageant — TIARA
• 4D Number used to spell “L” on a calculator — SEVEN
• 6D “I want the _____, not the weather — NEWS

‘Film that was the highest-grossing of all time before Star Wars was released’ clue difficulty, rated

When I read today’s clue, I couldn’t think of a franchise that did incredibly well before Star Wars. If I hadn’t already solved some of the crossword clues, it would have taken me much longer to figure out that the answer was Jaws because I’m not a big fan of thrillers and horror movies. So, I would have been at a loss. If you struggled to get the answer, you’re not alone, and I would give it a difficulty rating of four out of five.

Mini puzzles to play after the NYT crossword puzzle

Mini puzzles are a great way to exercise your brain muscles. So, if you’re after a few more to add to your list, try the mini crosswords from the LA Times or the Washington Post, or the NYT’s mini word games, Strands or Spelling Bee.