‘First letter of the Greek alphabet’ NYT Mini Crossword

Knowing the 26-letter English alphabet is one thing, but figuring out the “First letter of the Greek alphabet” is knowledge many don’t have—a problem for the Aug. 1 NYT Mini Crossword.

I always say it, but a crossword is a great way to keep your mind fresh and your brain on the edge of its theoretical toes. Today’s NYT Mini Crossword word game ticks all the boxes and challenges your knowledge of other languages.

‘First letter of the Greek alphabet’ one down NYT Mini Crossword solution

• Hint 1: A type of male or creature considered to be strong.
• Hint 2: _____ Centauri.
• Hint 3: …and Omega.
• Hint 4: It starts and ends with “A.”

I can’t give any more clues, I’m afraid—I wish I could. Congratulations if you’ve gotten it, but if not, the answer is about to be revealed.

“ALPHA” is the solution to one down in today’s NYT Mini Crossword—and you’re definitely an alpha if you got it! Let me explain the hints.

An “Alpha” is considered one of the strongest (if not the strongest) in a group of humans or creatures. Alpha Centauri is the name of a star system in space, “Alpha and Omega” features in the Book of Revelations, and the solution bookends with the letter “A.”

All NYT Mini Crossword Aug. 1 puzzle clues and answers

Across

• 1A Score 100% on — ACE
• 4A Word that, in German, translates directly to “hand shoe” — GLOVE
• 6A Its showers bring “May flowers” — APRIL
• 7A Hut — SHACK
• 8A Not mainstream, in genre names — ALT

Down

• 1D First letter of the Greek alphabet — ALPHA
• 2D Reef builder — CORAL
• 3D Kick out — EVICT
• 4D Bad thing to run out of in the middle of nowhere — GAS
• 5D Antlered mammal in the Rockies — ELK

‘First letter of the Greek alphabet’ clue difficulty in NYT Mini Crossword, explained

In a complete rarity, I’m giving my second one out of five rating today for an NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clue. The beauty of humans is we are all different, and we see things uniquely from our perspectives. From a pure knowledge standpoint, I know Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and it’s arguably the most well-known as it crosses over so much into English, from the phonetic alphabet to language used in media—hence my easy rating verdict.

NYT Mini Crossword puzzle and word game alternatives

The NYT Mini Crossword is not the only puzzle game out there. Other free sources of puzzle paradise await courtesy of Strands and Spelling Bee, while the LA Times and Washington Post are perfectly adequate time-killers, too.