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Answers to each clue for the October 30, 2024 edition of NYT’s The Mini crossword puzzle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times‘ revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Wednesday, October 30, 2024:

Across

Subculture with dyed black hair and black lipstick

The answer is Goth.

Grade boost after a tough test

The answer is Curve.

“___ the Horrible” (classic comic strip)

The answer is Hagar.

Sidestep

The answer is Evade.

Ceiling spinners

The answer is Fans.

Down

Green-and-pink tropical fruit

The answer is Guava.

“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” instrument

The answer is Organ.

Commercials during shows

The answer is TVAds.

“Take this”

The answer is Here.

“I refer to everybody as ‘___’ because it’s a sign of respect” (line from “The Bear”)

The answer is Chef.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Mini Crossword.

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The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

If you’re reading this, you’re looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: How sweet!

These words are buddies.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words that refer to friendships. 

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today’s spangram is CandyStore.

NYT Strands word list for October 30

Toffee

Gumdrop

CandyStore

Chocolate

Lollipop

Licorice

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1229 on October 30, as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.

If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for October 30’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.

Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:

A wood frame for a canvas.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There is one letter that appears twice.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter E.

The Wordle answer today is…

Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today’s Wordle is…

EASEL.

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.

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Connections is a New York Times word game that’s all about finding the “common threads between words.” How to solve the puzzle.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for October 30’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Yellow: Trending positively

Green: Wheels attached

Blue: Tape

Purple: Misspelled stores

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

Yellow: Upswing

Green: Things with Wheels

Blue: Kinds of Tape

Purple: Retail Chains with a Letter Changed

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s Connections #507 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Upswing: BOOM, RISE, SPIKE, SURGE

Things with Wheels: DOLLY, ROLLERBLADE, SKATEBOARD, WAGON

Kinds of Tape: DUCT, ELECTRICAL, GAFFER, PACKING

Retail Chains with a Letter Changed: BEST BOY, IDEA, KRONER, STABLES

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.

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Loud White Guys for Kamala!

Loud White Guys for Kamala!

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The “Only Murders in the Building” finale foreshadowed the death that sets up Season 5.

Spoilers ahead, this is finale territory here.

Only Murders in the Building can never let the residents of the Arconia live in peace. Rest in peace, certainly.

In the Season 4 finale, which Mashable’s Belen Edwards has unpacked in detail, the series dropped another murder on us in the final few minutes. After all, it’s now tradition for the show’s finales to tease a new chapter.

Sadly, the doomed resident this time is the Arconia’s true heart: poor Lester (Teddy Coluca), the doorman. And his death is foreshadowed in the same episode.

After Oliver (Martin Short) and Loretta’s (Meryl Streep) gorgeous wedding in the Arconia courtyard, Oliver, Mabel (Selena Gomez), and Charles (Steve Martin) are wandering through the remaining decorations recording the final words of their podcast. It’s then that they find Lester, murdered and lying in a fountain that’s now filled with blood.

“All he does is let in murderers!”

Earlier in the episode, on their way to rescue Mabel from the killer, Charles and Oliver encounter Lester in the hallway; the doorman has news that Oliver’s chuppah had arrived for the wedding ceremony. Flustered, Oliver tells him to handle it, but adds, “I trust you completely, but just know, if you get anything wrong, I will destroy you.”

When Charles protests, Oliver scoffs, “What? All he does is let in murderers!” Yeah, Oliver’s going to regret that one.

Whether or not Lester let his own murderer into the building will be the mystery of Season 5. Not just a longtime doorman, Lester has a major connection to the Arconia and the fountain he ends up dead in, telling Charles and Oliver he was married to his wife Lorraine in the courtyard in an evening ceremony “with just the stars and the fountain as our witness.”

We’ve learned very little about Lester over the last four seasons, aside from his deep knowledge of everyone at the Arconia. We’ve heard tiny mentions of Lorraine throughout the series, with characters like Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell) giving her regards. In Season 2, during the blackout, when Lester is taking a breather in board president Nina Lin’s (Christine Ko) apartment, he mentions he connected with his wife over his love of the chat and her hatred of awkward silences — “Says with me, she never has any.” We find out Lester and Lorraine have two children, May and Frank; one at SUNY Stony Brook and one doing improv.

There’s a mysterious side to Lester, too. In Season 1, he indicates he knew Sting and The Police back in the day, then demands no one say anything about it again. In Season 2, when the trio are staging the confession trap, Lester says he graduated from Juilliard. “Started out off-Broadway with Tracy Letts. We were rivals. Hand to God,” he says. “I stopped getting hired, developed a drinking problem, and was homeless for a while. Almost died, cleaned up, took the first job I could get, and I’ve been stuck here ever since.”

Poor Lester, it’s also where he’d see the end of his days — and Season 5 will get into who’s responsible.

Only Murders in the Building is now streaming on Hulu.

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“Only Murders in the Building” Season 4 tried to link back to Season 1 — then didn’t.

Only Murders in the Building‘s Season 4 finale may have answered a lot of our burning questions — like who killed Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch) and why — but it left us with several others. Chiefest among them: What was with all the links to the loose ends from Season 1?

At the end of Season 4, episode 7, “Valley of the Dolls,” actors Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria presented Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) with information that, to borrow Detective Brazzos’ catchphrase, could have sent the case in a whole new direction. According to them, the mystery of Sazz’s death has been brewing since Season 1 of Only Murders (the fictional podcast, as well as the show).

“It all goes back to Season 1,” Levy says, “which, by the way, has more holes than Zach Galifianakis.”

The actors point out these loose ends and what they could mean, but does Only Murders in the Building actually plug up any of these holes? Not really. Let’s take a look at the evidence, and what the show does (or doesn’t) do with it.

Who poisoned Winnie?

First up on our tour of plot holes is the matter of which sick individual poisoned Oliver’s precious bulldog Winnie, who makes a cameo in the Season 4 finale as Oliver’s ring-bearer. A prime suspect in Season 1 was musician Sting, who had his fair share of beef with Winnie. But once Charles, Oliver, and Mabel discovered bassoonist Jan (Amy Ryan) was behind Tim Kono’s (Julian Cihi) murder, Oliver assumed she was behind the poisoning.

“Wrong!” Longoria says.

She points to the note Oliver found on the door right before he discovered Winnie, which read, “end the podcast or I end you.” A smudge of ink on the paper leads Galifianakis to deduce that someone left-handed wrote the note, and since Jan is right-handed, that means it couldn’t have been her.

Who left the note on Jan’s door?

Another loose end Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria discover is the fact that the Only Murders trio never found out who left the note on Jan’s door that said, “I’m watching you.” The message echoes the threatening text Charles, Oliver, and Mabel received from Sazz’s phone in episode 6, after they discovered hidden cameras in their apartments. That leads Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria to believe that Jan’s note, the texts, and the cameras came from the same person.

Adding to the evidence are the notes Charles, Oliver, and Mabel found in Sazz’s apartment, which singled out both “sick pup” Winnie and Jan’s “door note.” If Sazz was onto the unknown culprit from Season 1, it would make sense for them to try to kill her, right?

Except Sazz wasn’t on the trail of this mysterious adversary. These scribblings were just pointers for the screenplay she was writing about the Only Murders crew. And her murderer, screenwriter Marshall P. Pope (Pachinko‘s Jin Ha), wasn’t at all connected to Season 1. These loose ends fade away from the main Only Murders plotline just as quickly as they were reintroduced, leaving us back at square one.

However, there is some hope we’ll get some closure on these elements in Season 5. After all, doorman Lester’s (Teddy Coluca) death could have some ties to Season 1. The same goes for the newly introduced Sofia Caccimelio (Téa Leoni) and her missing husband, Nicky. Plus, we never did find out who put those cameras in Charles, Oliver, and Mabel’s apartments… Could the same person be responsible for all these crimes?

Only Murders in the Building Season 4 is now streaming on Hulu.

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Through Nov. 17, YouTube TV is just $49.99 per month for your first two months of live TV streaming. That’s $46 in savings.

SAVE $46: If you’re new to YouTube TV, you can score your first two months for just $49.99 per month instead of $72.99. That’s about 32% in savings.

Live TV streaming services are basically the new cable — only without the contracts and hidden fees. Rather than a cable connection, you just need a solid internet connection and you can enjoy live access to a well-rounded channel selection. The problem is that costs keep climbing, making these cable alternatives nearly the same price as cable itself. That’s why this YouTube TV deal particularly made us perk up.

Through Nov. 17, new subscribers can get their first two months of YouTube TV for just $49.99 per month. That’s a savings of $23 per month or about 32%. Not to mention, you’ll get a free 10-day trial to kick things off. The offer is only valid for the base plan, but the base plan has plenty to offer. After the promotion period ends, you’ll automatically be charged the full price of the base plan, which is $72.99 per month, unless you cancel.

This is one of the best deals we’ve seen YouTube TV offer. Usually the introductory cost for new users hovers between $52.99 and $64.99 per month. So if you’ve been curious about live TV streaming or looking for a way to tune into NBA games, college football, or any other live sports, this is the time to dive in.

The YouTube TV base plan includes over 100 live channels, including local stations, specialty networks like Discovery and Bravo, sports channels like FS1, ESPN, Golf, and NFL Network, and kids networks like Nickelodeon and Disney. You can checkout your own local lineup before committing.You’ll also get unlimited DVR space, special features like Key Plays View, six different household accounts, and three simultaneous streams.

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“Only Murders in the Building” Season 4 wraps up the mystery of Sazz’s murder and preps us for its next big case. Here’s what happened.

That’s a wrap on a very Hollywood-themed Season 4 of Only Murders in the Building!

After 10 episodes of A-list cameos, stunt man shenanigans, and the highs and lows of showbiz, Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) finally caught Sazz’s (Jane Lynch) killer. But in true Only Murders fashion, it’s not long before another body drops, setting the stage for Season 5.

From catching our killer to theorizing about what comes next, let’s break down that finale, spoilers and all.

Screenwriter Marshall P. Pope killed Sazz Pataki — but not for the reason you think

Like every season before it, Only Murders Season 4 is no stranger to red herrings. After all, the entire West Tower storyline ended up being an elaborate misdirect, while actors Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eva Longoria’s theory that that this murderer had been after our trio since Season 1 also turned out to be false. But in its penultimate episode, Only Murders Season 4 hit us with a softer red herring — one concerning Sazz’s killer’s motive.

At the very end of episode 9, “Escape from Planet Klongo,” Charles, Oliver, and Mabel learned that Sazz’s killer was none other than Marshall P. Pope (Jin Ha, Pachinko), the screenwriter of the in-the-works Only Murders movie.

Marshall, whose real name is Rex Bailey, was Sazz’s stunt protégé — at least, he was until he burned director Ron Howard’s eyebrows off in a stunt gone wrong on the unfinished film Project Ronkonkoma. Sazz blackballed him after that, replacing him with stuntman Glen Stubbins (Paul Rudd), which is why the Only Murders trio thinks Marshall murdered her. Turns out, his actual motive was to get away with stealing Sazz’s screenplay for the Only Murders movie.

Why did Marshall kill Sazz and Glen?

As Sazz tells us in voiceover at the start of the finale, decades of stunt work was taking a toll on her body, and she wanted to find another way to contribute to bringing stories to life. That’s why she wrote the Only Murders script, centered on her “hero,” Brazzos himself, Charles-Haden Savage. Sazz brought it to Marshall, hoping to get some pointers from the other aspiring screenwriter she knew. However, his jealousy over how good her script was prompted him to disparage it, then steal it and sell it to Bev Melon (Molly Shannon) as his own. His biggest crime really was plagiarism. Just kidding, it’s still murder, but this is a close second.

From there, Sazz heads to New York to tell Charles about the movie she’d written. Again, nothing here about the Westies or their involvement with Dudenoff (Griffin Dunne), just good old-fashioned Hollywood drama.

Sazz did write a Dudenoff subplot into her script though, which is how Marshall knew he could get into the West Tower of the Arconia and snipe her from Dudenoff’s now sadly empty apartment. (His pitch-perfect aim is a result of a traumatic childhood of being forced to hunt by his father, the basis of his unsuccessful first script.) Once he shot Sazz, he made it to Charles’s apartment by creeping along the window ledge going around the Arconia’s courtyard. Being a physically fit stuntman who isn’t afraid of heights sure has its perks! From there, he disposed of Sazz’s body down the trash chute where the incinerator awaited, with the whole endeavor taking less than 12 minutes.

Later, when Marshall realized stuntman Glen Stubbins could identify him from their overlap on Project Ronkonkoma, he tried to take Glen out with the same sniping method during a promotional photoshoot — where he accidentally shot Galifianakis as well (both survived). With Glen on the mend in the hospital, Marshall went to his ward to finish the job, so the connection between his new identity and his old one would remain concealed.

In Mabel’s apartment, Marshall confesses all of his crimes to Charles, Oliver, and Mabel before trying to kill them, but not so fast! In a reversal of Sazz’s murder, Marshall gets shot through the window from Charles’s apartment. The culprit? None other than Jan (Amy Ryan), who’s been living in the Arconia’s secret passageways for months and finally saw a chance to avenge her beloved Sazz (and simultaneously save her former beloved Charles).

Sure, the cops arrest her, but when has that stopped her before? You can bet this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Jan. After all, she asserts that she and Charles are endgame. What is this, Riverdale?

Oliver and Loretta’s wedding goes great — until we learn that doorman Lester is dead.

Thankfully, some less deadly love is in the air at the Arconia in the form of Oliver and Loretta’s (Meryl Streep) marriage. It’s a lovely affair, complete with Oliver’s dog Winnie serving as ring-bearer and Loretta’s son Dickie (Jeremy Shamos) and Oliver’s son Will (Ryan Broussard) walking the bride down the aisle. The only downer is that Loretta is moving to New Zealand to shoot the rest of her TV show. She tells Oliver to stay in New York though, because when has their relationship ever been conventional? And how else to give Streep an easy out if she’s not up to return for Season 5? (Although I’d love to see her come back.) Or, hear me out, the gang goes to New Zealand next season for a Lord of the Rings-themed mystery.

Aside from Loretta’s moving announcement, the wedding goes off without a hitch. But after the celebration, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel discover the corpse of doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca) in the courtyard fountain, continuing the Arconia’s streak as the deadliest building in New York.

Lester hasn’t been around much this season, but he did pop up towards the start of the finale episode to tell Oliver and Charles an interesting anecdote. He tells them he got married in the courtyard too. He’d shared: “Middle of the night, with just the stars and the fountain as our witness. I think it’s good luck!”

Sadly for Lester, his luck ran out. (Oliver even foreshadows his death in their brief encounter, complaining that, “All [Lester] does is let in murderers!”) But perhaps Lester’s description of the marriage ceremony is a clue for next season. Speaking of next season…

Who is Téa Leoni’s Sofia Caccimelio?

Another clue for what Only Murders Season 5 has in store is the arrival of the mysterious Sofia Caccimelio (Téa Leoni, Madam Secretary), whom Charles can only describe as a “dame.”

As she tells Mabel and Charles, her husband Nicky was recently reported missing, as seen on news report playing on a hospital TV in episode 9. The report described Nicky as “the dry cleaning king of Brooklyn” and mentioned his ties to the Caputo crime family. Despite this, police say they don’t suspect foul play. Sofia thinks otherwise, asking for Charles, Oliver, and Mabel’s help find her missing man.

When Charles and Mabel tell Sofia they aren’t private detectives and only investigate Arconia-related murders, Sofia drops a bomb on them: “What happened to Nicky has everything to do with this building.” What new secrets does the Arconia have in store? And could Nicky’s disappearance be linked to Lester’s death?

We’ll have to wait for Season 5 to find out.

Only Murders in the Building Season 4 is now streaming on Hulu.

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In the “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4 finale, there’s a great throwback to Season 1.

Only Murders in the Building Season 4 threw everything it had at the murder wall, with red herrings, twists, and wild cameos aplenty. Easter eggs are the name of the game in this show, and in the season finale, there was a teeny, tiny throwback to Season 1 hidden in the dialogue.

Consider this your spoiler warning.

By the end of the episode, the killer has been revealed, allowing Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short), and Charles (Steve Martin) to get back to finishing the Only Murders in the Building Movie — now with a great script written by the late Sazz (Jane Lynch).

Cut to the Hollywood actors hired to play the core three — Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy, and Zach Galifianakis — filming a scene in Charles’ apartment, as their real counterparts watch on.

The neat thing is, they’re actually performing a scene from Only Murders in the Building Season 1, episode 4, “The Sting.”

During their first-ever investigation of the murder of Tim Kono, Charles is falling for Arconia neighbor and bassoonist Jan Bellows (Amy Ryan). About to go on their first date, he asks his friends for advice on whether it’s the right time for romance considering someone was murdered in the building.

“Isn’t it insulting to flirt now?” asks Charles.

“Oh, who the hell knows? Suddenly it’s rude to tell a secretary she looks pretty in a pair of slacks,” replies Oliver.

“Nope,” responds Mabel. “No to that whole sentence.”

“Compliment her purse,” suggests Oliver. “If it isn’t on their body you can like it.”

“No, again, to every word that’s coming out of your mouth,” says Mabel, who then turns to Charles. “I’m glad you’re doing this. Being alone in life is making you a little weird.”

As Longoria, Levy, and Galifianakis perform the lines, the real Mabel, Charles, and Oliver stand with Sazz’s script in hand, watching the whole scene flow the way it should have — written by their friend.

Only Murders in the Building is now streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK.

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