Starts a pot, in poker NYT Crossword clue hints and answers

Fine, I admit it: I don’t know how to play Poker. I’ve watched Casino Royale, but that’s as far as my knowledge goes. Hey, I know how to play Twenty-One and Uno. That counts for something, right? Either way, I struggled with today’s New York Times Mini Crossword clue. “Starts a pot, in poker.” What does that even mean? 

‘Starts a pot, in poker’ July 19 NYT Mini Crossword solution and hints

• Hint 1: From Latin, “before.”
• Hint 2: A stake.
• Hint 3: It rhymes with panties.
• Hint 4: It begins with the letter “A.”

STOP SCROLLING! I’m just about to reveal the answer. This is a final warning.

That’s right, the answer to nine across in the July 19 NYT Mini Crossword is “ANTES.” An ante is a stake put up by a Poker player before they receive the cards. The word can also be used informally to describe paying an amount of money in advance. “He anted up $1 million. How generous.” Poker has a lot of words, apparently.

July 19 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle – All clues and answers

Across

• 1A “Blue Ribbon” brewery — PABST
• 6A Put at ease, as fears — ALLAY
• 7A Sound heard at a ramen restaurant — SLURP
• 8A Slight trace of color — TINGE
• 9A Starts a pot, in poker — ANTES

Down

• 1D Popular meal the night before a marathon — PASTA
• 2D 100% committed — ALL IN
• 3D Untactful to a fault — BLUNT
• 4D Boot camp boss, informally — SARGE
• 5D Goes tap-tap-tape in a texting app — TYPES

Starts a pot, in poker clue difficulty rating

I struggled with this crossword clue and admittedly had to kindly ask Google for some help. (Hey, don’t judge. You clearly had to, too.) The answer made sense in hindsight, but the clue puzzled me as someone with almost zero knowledge of Poker. I’d say a difficulty rating of three out of five is fair when all is said and done. It’s a common term, after all.

How to play more crosswords and puzzles like NYT Mini

One crossword puzzle isn’t enough for me. After completing the NYT Mini Crossword, I usually head over to the LA Times, Washington Post, and other online newspapers or mobile apps to play more. I might be slightly addicted. When I’m not completing a crossword, you’ll find me playing Strands and Spelling Bee. I like word games, what can I say?