NYT Mini Answer for Feb 15, 2025

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Possible words for each clue

1-Across. Governing body of world soccer

Possible 4-letter words for this clue:

FIFA CODE UEFA IFAB CIES

5-Across. "___ is a world within itself, with a language we all understand" (Stevie Wonder lyric)

Possible 5-letter words for this clue:

HOUSE MUSIC SPACE HEART BEACH

6-Across. Opposite of rough

Possible 6-letter words for this clue:

CALMES GENTLE SILKEN SMOOTH

7-Across. Pictures that employ the "flip camera" button

Possible 7-letter words for this clue:

PHOTOED SELFIES CAMERAS SCREENS

8-Across. Away from the ocean

Possible 6-letter words for this clue:

INLAND DESERT FOREST TERRAI

9-Across. Earthenware pot

Possible 5-letter words for this clue:

CLAYE CROCK TERRA JARLS BRICK

10-Across. Clark ___ a.k.a. Superman

Possible 4-letter words for this clue:

KENT LOIS CLAR SUPE

1-Down. Cool bit of trivia

Possible 7-letter words for this clue:

HISTORI FUNFACT GENIUSE HISTORI LEGENDR

2-Down. Admission of ineptitude

Possible 6-letter words for this clue:

MISTAK ISTINK ACKNOW FAILUR APARTL

3-Down. Smoothed, as fingernails

Possible 5-letter words for this clue:

CLIPP FILED SHINE TRIME POLIS

4-Down. AAAA, in a deck

Possible 4-letter words for this clue:

KING ACES QUEE KARD DECK

5-Down. Pittsburgh's Carnegie ___ University

Possible 6-letter words for this clue:

CARNEG MELLON TECHNO UNIVER INSTIT

6-Down. Rom-com or thriller

Possible 5-letter words for this clue:

THRIL GENRE COMED ACTIO MURDE

7-Down. "Totally awesome!"

Possible 4-letter words for this clue:

AWFU SICK LATE COOL BEST

Based on the hints provided, have you managed to deduce the answer? If you're still unable to come up with it, take a look at the solutions listed below.

Today's Answers Explained

Governing body of world soccer

The word "FIFA" is an acronym for the "Fédération Internationale de Football Association" in French. In English, the governing body of world soccer is also referred to as "FIFA".

"___ is a world within itself, with a language we all understand" (Stevie Wonder lyric)

The relationship between the hint and the word "MUSIC" is that music is a universal language that can be understood by people from different cultures and backgrounds. The phrase "a language we all understand" in the Stevie Wonder lyric emphasizes the idea that music is a common language that transcends verbal communication and can evoke emotions and connect people on a deeper level.

Opposite of rough

The word "GENTLE" in English is related to the hint "Opposite of rough" because it describes something that is soft, mild, and not harsh or violent. In contrast to "rough," which implies a lack of smoothness or a harsh quality, "gentle" implies a smooth, calm, and soothing quality.

Pictures that employ the "flip camera" button

The hint "Pictures that employ the 'flip camera' button" is related to the word "SELFIES" in English because the term "selfie" refers to a type of photograph taken by an individual, typically using a smartphone or camera with a flip or self-timer function.

Away from the ocean

The word "INLAND" in English refers to a location that is away from the ocean or a sea. It describes an area that is situated on the interior of a country or continent, as opposed to a coastal region.

Earthenware pot

The word "Crock" in English is related to the hint "Earthenware pot" because a crock is a type of earthenware pot, typically made from clay and fired at a low temperature. It is often used for cooking or storing food and liquids. The term "crock" can also refer to a large, heavy container made of earthenware or ceramic material.

Clark ___ a.k.a. Superman

The hint "Clark ___ a.k.a. Superman" is related to the word "KENT" in English because Clark Kent is the secret identity of Superman in the DC Comics universe.

Cool bit of trivia

The hint "Cool bit of trivia" is related to the word "FUNFACT" in English because "fun fact" is a common idiomatic expression used to describe an interesting or little-known piece of information.

Admission of ineptitude

The word "ISTINK" in English is actually "STINK".

The hint "Admission of ineptitude" relates to the word "STINK" because "stink" can also mean to smell badly, but in this context, it's more likely referring to the phrase "stink of incompetence" or "stink of ineptitude", which means to give off a strong smell of incompetence or ineptitude.

Smoothed, as fingernails

The hint "Smoothed, as fingernails" is related to the word "FILED" in English because when fingernails are filed, they become smoother. The word "filed" in this context refers to the act of smoothing or shaping something, typically using a file.

AAAA, in a deck

The hint "AAAA, in a deck" is related to the word "ACES" in English because the first letter of each word in the hint corresponds to the first letter of each word in the word "ACES".

A - Aces C - Cards E - Each S - Suit

Pittsburgh's Carnegie ___ University

The relationship between the hint "Pittsburgh's Carnegie ___ University" and the word "MELLON in English" is that the word is "MELLON" is part of the name of the university, Carnegie Mellon University.

Rom-com or thriller

The hint "Rom-com or thriller" is related to the word "GENRE" in English because it refers to a category or type of movie.

In this case, "Rom-com" is a shortened form of "Romantic Comedy," and "thriller" is a type of action movie. The hint is asking to identify the genre of a movie, which is a fundamental concept in film classification.

The word "GENRE" itself refers to a category or style of artistic work, such as literature, music, or film. In the context of movies, genre is used to classify films based on their content, tone, and style.

"Totally awesome!"

The phrase "Totally awesome!" is often used to express strong approval or admiration. In this context, the word "sick" has a different meaning than its typical association with illness.

In informal English, particularly among younger generations, "sick" can be used as an adjective to mean "excellent," "amazing," or "cool." This usage is often seen in phrases like "That's sick!" or "This concert is going to be sick!"

So, the relationship between the hint "Totally awesome!" and the word "sick" in English is that they both convey a positive sentiment, with "sick" being used to describe something that is impressive, exciting, or of high quality.