‘Olympic fencing sword’ NYT Mini Crossword clue answer and hints

Did you watch Fencing at this year’s Summer Olympics? If so, you’ll probably find today’s NYT Mini Crossword puzzle an absolute breeze.

I personally missed the action, but I did hear of France’s Sebastien Patrice using a unique “gaming strategy” of bunny hoping to win a point against his opponent. Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue, “Olympic fencing sword,” tests your niche knowledge of fencing sports.

If you’re struggling to guess the answer, here are today’s hints and answers for the NYT Mini Crossword on Aug. 27. 

‘Olympic fencing sword’ NYT Aug. 27 Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The solution is a word that comes from French and directly translates to “sword.”
• Hint 2: The four-letter answer is a noun and it is one of the three types of swords used in the sport of fencing.
• Hint 3: It starts with the letter “E.”
• Hint 4: If you fence with this weapon, the entire body is a valid target.

Let’s put down our swords. Here comes the answer!

Did you already see it coming? The answer to nine across in the Aug. 27 New York Times Mini Crossword is “EPEE.” According to Merriam-Webster, an épée is “a fencing or dueling sword having a bowl-shaped guard and a rigid blade of triangular section with no cutting edge that tapers to a sharp point blunted for fencing.”

The épée’s blade is heavier and stiffer than the other two fencing swords, making it a more powerful weapon but also requires greater control and precision from the fencer.

‘Olympic fencing sword’ NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

I don’t watch the sport of fencing, so today’s clue didn’t help me guess the answer. If you’re aware of fencing, then it should be easy for you to guess, but if, like me, you probably needed a history lesson on various Fencing swords—it’s definitely one of the tricky ones to crack today. I’d give it a four out of five for difficulty.

NYT Mini Crossword (Aug. 27) answers

Across

• 1A Point of transition between two zodiac signs — CUSP
• 5A Declare legally avoid — ANNUL
• 7A Providence,_____ Island — RHODE
• 8A August zodiac sign — VIRGO
• 9A Olympic fencing sword — EPEE

Down

• 1D Slice up, as a turkey — CARVE
• 2D Not “with it” — UNHIP
• 3D Be a noisy bedmate — SNORE
• 4D Cutely pokeable bit of belly flab — PUDGE
• 6D August zodiac sign — LEO

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

Do you love solving word games like the NYT Mini Crossword? Then you should definitely try other crosswords at the LA Times and the Washington Post. However, you can also try Strands and Spelling Bee, which are fun to play and feel different from traditional crosswords.