She’s like an older sister to Maria in ‘West Side Story’ NYT Mini Crossword answers and hints

Today’s NYT Crossword puzzle will be tricky if you’re unfamiliar with the West Side Story musical. The clue relating to Maria doesn’t give much away, and the name itself isn’t even in the top 1,000 baby girl’s names. So, guessing is out of the question.

Not only is this clue in the July 24 NYT mini crossword puzzle tricky because the name’s fairly unique, but there are a few people to whom the answer could apply. If you’re here, you’re in luck, because I’m a musical nerd with the answer.

‘She’s like an older sister to Maria in West Side Story’ July 24 NYT Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: It starts with an “A.”
• Hint 2: It rhymes with Bonita.
• Hint 3: This person is a seamstress.
• Hint 4: Her boyfriend is Bernardo.

Unfamiliar with West Side Story? Don’t worry—I’ve included the answer to 2D below.

The answer to “She’s like an older sister to Maria in West Side Story” is “ANITA.” Anita is one of the many characters in West Side Story, and she lives in the same apartment building as her boyfriend, Bernardo, and his younger sister, Maria. So, she’s technically Maria’s sister-in-law. But even the BBC refers to Anita as Maria’s friend who’s like an older sister.

With this clue now solved, finishing the July 24 NYT mini crossword puzzle will be easier.

All July 24 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clues and answers

Across

• 1A Book character who wears a red-and-white-striped shirt — WALDO
• 6A With 7-across, fried appetizer that’s appropriate for the Olympics — ONION
• 7A See 6-across — RINGS
• 8A Academic acronym — STEM
• 9A “And there you have it!” — TADA

Down

• 1D Least favorable — WORST
• 2D She’s like an older sister to Maria in “West Side Story” — ANITA
• 3D Like index cards, typically — LINED
• 4D Belief that’s not to be questioned — DOGMA
• 5D Carry-___ (some luggage) — ONS

She’s like an older sister to Maria in ‘West Side Story’ clue difficulty

In West Side Story, many characters could be like Maria’s older sister, so if you’re familiar with all the characters you may be puzzled about who this could apply to. But Anita, her best friend, is the one who’s genuinely like her older sister because she certainly doesn’t hold back on her sassy comments. Even if you’re familiar with this musical, this is a tough one, and I’d give it a four out of five in difficulty. That said, as a musical nerd this one was a little on the easy side and a nice reminder I need to rewatch the play.

Do you love the NYT Mini Crossword puzzle? Try these alternatives

The NYT mini crossword puzzle may be the more well-known one, but there are ones you can play from the LA Times and the Washington Post that are released daily and are just as confuddling as the ones from the NYT.

However, the Strands and Spelling Bee from the NYT are just as fun. They are released daily and are great for those who enjoy classic word searches or finding words from a group of letters.