Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

I’ll admit, I was thinking of a different kind of chip for 5-Down, and it threw me for a loop. I figured it out thanks to my deep knowledge of nacho toppings for 7-Across. Need a hand with today’s Mini Crossword? Keep reading. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: The heart of summer?
Answer: EMS

4A clue: Emotional request
Answer: PLEA

5A clue: Word before aching or dancing
Answer: BELLY

6A clue: Many fans of Premier League clubs
Answer: BRITS

7A clue: Nacho topping that rhymes with 3-Down
Answer: QUESO

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Leading role on «The Last of Us»
Answer: ELLIE

2D clue: Gooey diner sandwiches
Answer: MELTS

3D clue: Authoritative approval
Answer: SAYSO

4D clue: Country on one side of Lake Titicaca
Answer: PERU

5D clue: Orange-and-brown chip flavor, for short
Answer: BBQ

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Football fans should cruise through today’s Connections: Sports Edition. The purple category isn’t too challenging. I figured that one out first for a change. Check out our hints and the answers for today’s game.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.  

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: All about the numbers.

Green group hint: Catch and run.

Blue group hint: Hello, Hollywood.

Purple group hint: In the hole.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Statistic.

Green group: NFL wide receivers.

Blue group: Football movies, with «The.»

Purple group: What «ace» could mean.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is statistic. The four answers are datum, figure, number and stat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is NFL wide receivers. The four answers are Chase, Lamb, Nabers and Waddle.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is football movies, with «The.» The four answers are Express, Longest Yard, Replacements and Waterboy.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is what «ace» could mean. The four answers are pitcher, playing card, tennis serve and WNBA player.