‘Make an allusion (to)’ NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clue answer and hints

Have you ever made an indirect hint at something? Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue, “Make an allusion (to),” asks you to churn your vocabulary to find a simple word that subtly hints about something. 

Stuck on today’s NYT Mini Crossword? Check out these hints and answers for the Sept. 17 puzzle to help you finish the word game. 

‘Make an allusion (to)’ NYT Sept. 17 Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The answer is what a doctor might do if they send you to a specialist.
• Hint 2: The five-letter solution is to mention something without explicitly stating it.
• Hint 3: It starts with the letter “R.”
• Hint 4: The solution is in the “_____ a Friend” program, where you can bring your close friends or family to a service and earn a commission. 

Let’s stop teasing and reveal the answer. 

Did you see it coming? The answer to three down in the Sept. 17 New York Times Mini Crossword is “REFER.” According to Merriam-Webster, “allusion” means “an implied or indirect reference,” which perfectly matches the answer.

‘Make an allusion (to)’  NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

The word allusion might be tricky for some people, but generally, when you “allude” toward something, you are “referring” to that person/object. I got it immediately as I use the word refer in a lot of conversations, but if you don’t use the word often, even then, you can find it in advertisements like “Refer a Friend” campaigns. I’d give it a three out of five for difficulty.

NYT Mini Crossword (Sept. 17) answers

Across

• 1A Game of throwns? — DARTS
• 6A Give a heads-up — ALERT
• 7A Like some credit card accounts — NO FEE
• 8A Not costing much — CHEAP
• 9A It’s celebrated every April 22 — EARTH

Down

• 1D Move to the music — DANCE
• 2D Hawaiian “hi” — ALOHA
• 3D Make an allusion (to) — REFER
• 4D Reward for a well-behaved dog — TREAT
• 5D U.S. men’s basketball star with eight three-pointers in the gold medal game, familiarly — STEPH

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

Like tackling the NYT Mini word games? The LA Times and Washington Post crosswords are worth trying, too. For a more creative twist, you can also play Strands or Spelling Bee and supercharge your vocabulary.