‘Pulitzer-winning historian Kearns Goodwin’ NYT Mini Crossword clue Aug. 12 answer and hints

I don’t think I will ever be nominated for the esteemed Pulitzer Prize, but an individual named “Kearns Goodwin” was. Not only did they get nominated, but they won and are the answer behind Aug. 12’s two-down clue in today’s NYT Mini.

‘Pulitzer-winning historian Kearns Goodwin’ NYT Mini Crossword clue Aug. 12 hints and answer

• Hint one: The first name rhymes with a famous Wimbledon winner.
• Hint two: The first name of a famous singer and actress who died at 97.
• Hint there: Has two different vowels.
• Hint four: Starts with “D.”

Even the clues are tricky for this difficult answer, so let’s cut the chat and tell you the answer.

“DORIS” is the solution to two down in today’s NYT Mini Crossword. Doris Kearns Goodwin won the Pulitzer Prize in 1995 for her work “No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II.”

For my deeper clues, I used the name Boris Becker as my inspiration for hint one—a former three-time Wimbledon winner—and Doris Day, the iconic singer and actress.

NYT Aug. 12 Mini Crossword puzzle: All clues and answers

Across

• 1A Throws into the mix — ADDS
• 5A Plant life — FLORA
• 6A Chef’s garment — APRON
• 7A Informal term for avid supporters of Kamala Harris — K HIVE
• 8A Simplicity — EASE

Down

• 1D Letter before beta and gamma — ALPHA
• 2D Pulitzer winning historian ___ Kearns Goodwin — DORIS
• 3D Did some chauffeuring — DROVE
• 4D All there, mentally — SANE
• 5D Like a designer bag with the company name misspelled — FAKE

‘Pulitzer-winning historian Kearns Goodwin’ clue difficulty

It’s a five out of five for difficulty here for the “Pulitzer-winning historian Kearns Goodwin.” With all due respect to Pulitzer Prize winners—as they’re better people than I can ever hope to be—the award doesn’t garner the mainstream attention the Academy Awards or sports would. Unless you have a vested interest in the award, I feel it’s incredibly niche.

How to play daily word games like NYT Mini Crossword

Now that you’ve completed the NYT Mini Crossword for today, check out other leading word games to test all facets of your knowledge: LA Times, Washington Post, Strands, and the word-making Spelling Bee.