"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York

Latest answer — September 04, 2026

1 Down

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Clue explained

A MOTTO is a short phrase adopted by a person, group, or place as a guiding saying. “Eureka” is California’s state motto, while “Excelsior” is New York’s, so the quoted words are examples rather than the answer itself.

Clue type:
Example
California and New York state flags displayed together.

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 04, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1With 6- and 8-Across, face seen in outer space
  2. 4Opposite of tight
  3. 6See 1-Across
  4. 7Directly called out in a post, using an "@"
  5. 8See 1-Across

Down

  1. 1"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York
  2. 2Pale with fright
  3. 3Have to have
  4. 4Actor Neeson of "Taken"
  5. 5"Hold ___ your hat!"

The answer to “"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York” in the New York Times Mini crossword is MOTTO — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on September 4, 2026 at 1-Down. 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.

“"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York” answer

MOTTO (5 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 MOTTO.

What does MOTTO mean?

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

(noun)

  • a short sentence or phrase chosen as encapsulating the beliefs or ideals of an individual, family, or institution
  • a phrase which recurs throughout a musical work and has some symbolical significance

When else has “"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York” 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.

September 4, 2026 (most recent) → MOTTO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York”?

The answer is MOTTO, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on September 4, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York”?

5 letters: MOTTO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on September 4, 2026, at 1-Down.

Can “"Eureka" for California, or "Excelsior" for New York” 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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