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.

Today’s Mini Crossword took me much longer than usual. 6-Across and 5-Down look like the same clue, but note that question mark, which makes one kind of a jokey answer. Need help with today’s Mini? Read on. 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: Gaping hole
Answer: CHASM

6A clue: Conversation opener
Answer: HELLO

7A clue: Group of five found in «Julia Roberts» and «Austin Powers»
Answer: AEIOU

8A clue: Ben of Broadway
Answer: PLATT

9A clue: «Keep it down!»
Answer: SHH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Bloke
Answer: CHAP

2D clue: Inside part of a golf club
Answer: HEEL

3D clue: A.k.a. name
Answer: ALIAS

4D clue: Animal that talks comically slowly in «Zootopia»
Answer: SLOTH

5D clue: Conversation opener?
Answer: MOUTH

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.

Need some answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition? Sitting here in Seattle, I was proud to nail the yellow category immediately (I might have had to move if I didn’t get it right.) The green category wasn’t too tough, but the others were more difficult. Read on for hints and the answers.

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: The bluest skies you’ll ever see…

Green group hint: And now it’s pouring.

Blue group hint: Empire State hoops.

Purple group hint: QB’s CV.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Seattle teams.

Green group: Seen during a baseball rain delay.

Blue group: Members of the New York Liberty.

Purple group: Teams Baker Mayfield has played for.

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 Seattle teams. The four answers are Kraken, Mariners, Reign and Seahawks.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is seen during a baseball rain delay. The four answers are grounds crew, lightning, ponchos and tarp.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is members of the New York Liberty. The four answers are Cloud, Ionescu, Jones and Stewart.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is teams Baker Mayfield has played for. The four answers are Browns, Buccaneers, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

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