Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, April 9
Gael Cooper·2026-04-09·via CNET
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 9.
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
ExpertiseBreaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, and generational studiesCredentials
Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
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.
Need some help with today's Mini Crossword? I thought the two shoe-and-also-bathtub-problem clues (1-Across and 1-Down) were pretty funny. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET's NYT puzzle hints page.
Let's get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for April 9, 2026.
NYT/Screenshot by CNET
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Slip-on shoe ... or something you don't want in your bathtub Answer: CLOG
5A clue: Ancient artifact Answer: RELIC
7A clue: In a most unusual way Answer: ODDLY
8A clue: Springs in a mattress Answer: COILS
9A clue: Raven's haven Answer: NEST
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Slip-on shoe .. or something you really don't want in your bathtub Answer: CROC
2D clue: Strung along Answer: LEDON
3D clue: Boomer's bop, nowadays Answer: OLDIE
4D clue: Breathing organs for fish Answer: GILLS
6D clue: Fluid-filled lump Answer: CYST
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.See full bio
