‘Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.’ NYT Mini Crossword Aug. 6 answer and hints

Today’s NYT Crossword puzzle clue, “Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.,” should be simple for guitarists and riff-lovers. If that’s not you, you’re in the right place.

“Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.,” is a tough clue from the Aug. 6 NYT mini crossword puzzle. Unless you know about guitars—or, maybe even more unlikely, the materials used to make guitars—this clue is going to feel like trying to learn barre chords. But with these hints, you should be able to solve it in no time.

‘Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.,’ Aug. 6 NYT Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: It starts with an “I.”
• Hint 2: It contains two vowels.
• Hint 3: It’s the opposite of outlay.
• Hint 4:  It’s one word.

Spoiler warning: I’ve included the answer to this clue below. So, if you’re still trying to solve it using the hints, please don’t read on until you’re ready for the answer.

The answer to the “Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.,” clue is “INLAY.” The inlay is typically a decorative design on a guitar. Some of the more common materials for these designs are Mother of Pear, epoxy and fillers, wood, and even hard or soft metals.

With this clue now solved, the rest of the Aug. 6 NYT mini crossword puzzle should be more effortless to complete.

All Aug. 6 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clues and answers

Across

• 1A Petty fight — SPAT
• 5A Funny little habit — QUIRK
• 7A “I can’t___that!” (response to being told that Colonel Sanders’s bow tie looks like a stick figure’s body) — UNSEE
• 8A Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g. — INLAY
• 9A Colored, as hair — DYED

Down

• 1D Source of edible ink — SQUID
• 2D Like the horror movie titles “Chopping Mall” and “Santa’s Slay” — PUNNY
• 3D Airplane seat choice — AISLE
• 4D Grippy part of a tire — TREAD
• 6D Paper with the answers on it — KEY

‘Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.’ clue difficulty, rated

I’m going to be honest: when I read this clue, I had no idea what it could be; I don’t know anything about guitars, how they’re made, or what materials are used. So, for me, this clue was impossible and I’d give it a solid five out of five. The only way I was able to solve this was by completing the puzzle. At least now I know what an inlay is.

Try these puzzles next after the NYT Mini Crossword puzzle

If you’ve finished today’s NYT Mini Crosswords and are looking for others to try, the LA Times and the Washington Post also have mini daily crosswords. But if you want to try a word game, the NYT has two daily ones called Strands and Spelling Bee that are tough yet entertaining.