Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest

Editorially verified for the Aug 18, 2026

4 Down

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A sea otter swimming among kelp in the ocean.

Clue explained

An OTTER is a furry semiaquatic mammal, and sea otters commonly swim through kelp forests. The singular noun fits “animal.”

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 18, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Big ___ (cuddling partner)
  2. 6Mickey Mouse's pet dog
  3. 7Foamy coffee order
  4. 8Inside information, informally
  5. 9Blue streams down a yellow emoji's face

Down

  1. 1Divide, as the check
  2. 2It comes with wings on the side
  3. 3"Get ___ town!"
  4. 4Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest
  5. 5Christmas carols

The answer to “Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest” in the New York Times Mini crossword is OTTER — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on August 18, 2026 at 4-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.

“Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest” answer

OTTER (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 OTTER.

What does OTTER mean?

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

(noun)

  • a semiaquatic fish-eating mammal of the weasel family, with an elongated body, dense fur, and webbed feet
  • a piece of board used to carry fishing bait in water

When else has “Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest” 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.

August 18, 2026 (most recent) → OTTER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest”?

The answer is OTTER, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on August 18, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest”?

5 letters: OTTER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on August 18, 2026, at 4-Down.

Can “Furry animal seen swimming around a kelp forest” 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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