NYT Mini Crossword Answers May 18, 2025

Across
1 Golf shot that’s also a piece of computer hardware (Answer: CHIP)
🏌️ 4 letters, starts with C, ends with P
💻 Found in your computer’s CPU
⚙️ Small piece of silicon
🥔 Also a snack
🏌️‍♂️ Short golf stroke
📦 Microprocessor type
🔬 Embedded in electronics
🧠 Brain of a device
🎮 Used in consoles
💾 Comes in sets

5 Golf shot that’s also a piece of computer hardware (Answer: DRIVE)
🖐️ 5 letters, starts with D, ends with E
💻 Stores data
🏌️ Powerful tee shot
🚗 Operates a vehicle
📦 Can be hard or solid-state
🗃️ Backup location
📀 Optical kind exists too
🎮 Found in gaming PCs
🔊 Can refer to motivation
🛣️ Used metaphorically for ambition

6 Screenwriter Sorkin (Answer: AARON)
✍️ 5 letters, starts with A, ends with N
📺 Created “The West Wing”
🎥 Wrote “The Social Network”
🗣️ Known for fast dialogue
🎭 TV & film dramatist
📚 Yale graduate
🏆 Won an Oscar
🎬 Master of political drama
🧠 Creator of “The Newsroom”

7 Nonreactive, chemically (Answer: INERT)
🧪 5 letters, starts with I, ends with T
🌫️ Noble gases are this
⚛️ Chemically stable
🔋 Opposite of reactive
🧯 Doesn’t combust
💤 Figuratively means sluggish
🔬 Argon is an example
🌡️ Doesn’t combine easily
📉 Low energy behavior

8 “Bye-bye!” (Answer: SEEYA)
👋 5 letters, starts with S, ends with A
🗣️ Informal farewell
📱 Text message sign-off
🎧 Heard in casual chats
✌️ Short for “see you”
🧒 Kid-friendly goodbye
🚌 “___ later, alligator!”
💬 Common in speech
🎮 Gamers say it post-match

Down
1 Origami bird (Answer: CRANE)
🕊️ 5 letters, starts with C, ends with E
📄 Folded paper animal
🏗️ Also a lifting machine
🧠 Symbol of peace in Japan
🎋 Part of a thousand-piece wish
🎮 Featured in many puzzles
🧍 Long-legged wading bird
📚 Found in Sadako’s story
🎨 Popular origami shape
🎭 Appears in Japanese folklore

2 Person added to the staff (Answer: HIREE)
👥 5 letters, starts with H, ends with E
📋 New employee
🏢 Just joined the company
📆 Onboarded recently
📊 May be in training
💬 Subject of a welcome email
🧑‍💼 Accepted an offer
🔁 Opposite of a leaver
📌 Often on probation

3 Material used to plate the skin of the Parthenon Athena and the statue of Zeus at Olympia (Answer: IVORY)
🦷 5 letters, starts with I, ends with Y
🐘 Comes from tusks
🏛️ Used in ancient sculpture
💎 Rare and valuable
🚫 Banned in many countries
🎨 White and smooth
📿 Found in old jewelry
📚 Classical art material
🪔 Used with gold in chryselephantine

4 Five: Prefix (Answer: PENTA)
🔢 5 letters, starts with P, ends with A
📐 As in -gon or -gram
🔺 Greek origin prefix
💣 Military HQ building
🧪 Found in chemistry
🏛️ Classical numbering
⚽ Sports tournaments
🎲 Board game with “-thlon”
🎮 Common in fantasy naming

5 Speaker’s platform (Answer: DAIS)
🎤 4 letters, starts with D, ends with S
🏛️ Where officials speak
🎓 Seen at graduations
👑 Elevated stage
📸 Where awards are presented
🏆 Podium alternative
🧾 Formal ceremonies
🎭 Used for special events
🗣️ “Take the ___” phrase