‘That is to say…’ NYT Mini Crossword answer and hints

“That is to say…” is a troublesome clue from today’s NYT Mini Crossword puzzle, as are all the idioms. This is because there’s so many possibilities and then on top of that, this clue has a catch that makes it difficult to solve.

I say this idiom often but I didn’t get it initially, so if you’re struggling, don’t fret. This clue, “That is to say…” is from the July 30 NYT mini crossword puzzle, and we’ve got the answer.

‘That is to say…’ July 30 NYT Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The answer is two words.
• Hint 2: The second word starts with an “M.”
• Hint 3: The second word is four letters long.
• Hint 4: It’s often used to correct what you’ve said or to add more information.

The answer to two-down is below. So, please avoid reading on if you’re still trying to solve this clue.

The answer to “That is to say… is “I MEAN.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, I mean is an idiom used at the start or before continuing a sentence or to add more information to a sentence. It’s a common idiom many of us use without truly knowing what it means.

With two-down out of the way, you can hopefully complete the rest of the July 30 Mini Crossword puzzle.

July 30 NYT Mini Crossword puzzle: All clues and answers

Across

• 1A “Style, charm, or attractiveness,” per a modern coinage — RIZZ
• 5A Close bud — HOMIE
• 6A Black cats and red moons, supposedly — OMENS
• 7A Make a face — REACT
• 8A Prefix with fat or fiction — NON

Down

• 1D Title Shakespeare role for a young DiCaprio — ROMEO
• 2D “That is to say…” — I MEAN
• 3D Chemical element found in many immune-boosting supplements — ZINC
• 4D Finely grate, as a lemon peel — ZEST
• 5D Car’s noisemaker — HORN

How difficult is the ‘That is to say…’ clue to solve?

Like past phrases and idioms, the most challenging part about solving these clues is there are infinite possibilities given how loosely they’re used in today’s society. What makes them harder to solve is when they’re two words, not one. Because of this, I’d say today’s clue is certainly ranked four out of five in difficulty.

I often use “I mean,” but it wasn’t my first thought on this clue. I was trying to think of single words, but when I solved this puzzle, I realized the answer was a combo—a trend that’s been prevalent in these NYT crossword puzzles recently.

Games to play after the NYT Mini Crossword puzzle

After you finish today’s NYT Mini Crossword, the LA Times and the Washington Post also have daily mini crossword puzzles that are just as complex. If you enjoy more word-based games, the NYT also has Strands (a themed word search game) and Spelling Bee (a game in which you make as many words as possible with seven letters).