"Good egg" and "bad apple"

Latest answer — October 10, 2026

4 Down

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Illustrations of an egg and an apple representing the expressions “good egg” and “bad apple.”

Clue explained

“Good egg” and “bad apple” are idioms: familiar phrases whose meanings aren’t simply the literal meanings of their words. A good egg is a decent, dependable person; a bad apple is someone seen as troublesome or corrupting.

Clue type:
Example

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 10, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Poker game entry fee
  2. 6Multi-story temple
  3. 7Bird that can survive temperatures of -60 C°
  4. 8Really awesome
  5. 9___ Burgundy, hotshot anchorman in "Anchorman"
  6. 10Science class that really gets under your skin?
  7. 12Loose-fitting garments of ancient Greece
  8. 13Orderly pile

Down

  1. 1Piece of cloth tied around the head
  2. 2Brand with fleece-lined boots
  3. 3"Nice job, dude!"
  4. 4"Good egg" and "bad apple"
  5. 5Caretaker for small kids
  6. 6Tiny bit of packing material
  7. 7Utter fools, to a Brit
  8. 11___-tac-toe

The answer to “"Good egg" and "bad apple"” in the New York Times Mini crossword is IDIOMS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on October 10, 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.

“"Good egg" and "bad apple"” answer

IDIOMS (6 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 IDIOMS.

What does IDIOMS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g. over the moon, see the light)
  • a characteristic mode of expression in music or art

When else has “"Good egg" and "bad apple"” 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 10, 2026 (most recent) → IDIOMS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Good egg" and "bad apple"”?

The answer is IDIOMS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on October 10, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Good egg" and "bad apple"”?

6 letters: IDIOMS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on October 10, 2026, at 4-Down.

Can “"Good egg" and "bad apple"” 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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