"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain

Editorially verified for the Oct 17, 2026

1 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

A row of well-known classic novels on a bookshelf.

Clue explained

The quote turns on the gap between a book’s reputation and whether people actually read it: a classic is a work admired as important, sometimes more often praised than opened. The line is commonly associated with Mark Twain, and its wry point is that cultural prestige can outpace actual reading.

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 17, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain
  2. 8Cheese used in lasagna
  3. 9Two hours of free drinks at a wedding, say
  4. 10Swanky event in a gallery
  5. 11Uncle, in Spanish
  6. 12Basketball net holder
  7. 13B&B; relative
  8. 14___ kwon do
  9. 15Number shown on a dating profile
  10. 16Show that The Weeknd has performed on, aptly enough

Down

  1. 1Zagreb's country
  2. 2Piercing seen while puckering
  3. 3Chemical ingredient in nail polish remover
  4. 4Karaoke choice
  5. 5Caribbean resort island for the ultrawealthy, familiarly
  6. 6Like antipasti, manicotti and gelati
  7. 7Gooey part of a Snickers bar

The answer to “"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain” in the New York Times Mini crossword is CLASSIC — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on October 17, 2026 at 1-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain” answer

CLASSIC (7 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's CLASSIC.

What does CLASSIC mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of CLASSIC is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(adjective)

  • judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind
  • very typical of its kind

When else has “"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain” appeared?

New York Times Mini reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

October 17, 2026 (most recent) → CLASSIC. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain”?

The answer is CLASSIC, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on October 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain”?

7 letters: CLASSIC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on October 17, 2026, at 1-Across.

Can “"A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times Mini sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of today's NYT Mini answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the NYT Mini answers page.

New York Times Mini Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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