"Illmatic" rapper

Latest answer — December 25, 2025

7 Across

This influential New York rapper had a debut album that redefined hip-hop in the '90s. 🎤

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Thursday, December 25, 2025 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1___ King Cole, singer with the album "The Magic of Christmas"
  2. 4Body drawings, informally
  3. 5Letters to ___ (what this Mini was made with)
  4. 6Huge fan, in slang
  5. 7"Illmatic" rapper

Down

  1. 1Grandmothers, by another name
  2. 2Abbr. before a name on a memo
  3. 3Org. with long lines around the holidays
  4. 4"See ya later!"
  5. 5Govt.-issued ID

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. ___ King Cole, singer with the album "The Magic of Christmas" — Answer: NAT
  2. 4. Body drawings, informally — Answer: TATS
  3. 5. Letters to ___ (what this Mini was made with) — Answer: SANTA
  4. 6. Huge fan, in slang — Answer: STAN
  5. 7. "Illmatic" rapper — Answer: NAS. Hint: This influential New York rapper had a debut album that redefined hip-hop in the '90s. 🎤

Down

  1. 1. Grandmothers, by another name — Answer: NANAS
  2. 2. Abbr. before a name on a memo — Answer: ATTN
  3. 3. Org. with long lines around the holidays — Answer: TSA
  4. 4. "See ya later!" — Answer: TATA
  5. 5. Govt.-issued ID — Answer: SSN

Recent NYT Mini Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “"Illmatic" rapper” in the New York Times Mini crossword is NAS — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on December 25, 2025 at 7-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.

“"Illmatic" rapper” answer

NAS (3 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 NAS.

Why the answer is NAS

This influential New York rapper had a debut album that redefined hip-hop in the '90s. 🎤

When else has “"Illmatic" rapper” 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.

December 25, 2025 (most recent) → NAS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More NYT Mini answers for December 25, 2025

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the NYT Mini on December 25, 2025 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.

Across

Down

Want the whole grid in one place? The full NYT Mini answer list for December 25, 2025 is on the puzzle's answers page, and today's live NYT Mini answers are always one click away from the today page.

About the NYT Mini Crossword

The New York Times Mini is a free, 5×5 (sometimes larger) bite-size version of the paper's famous crossword, edited by Joel Fagliano. It publishes a fresh grid every day and is built for a fast solve — most players finish in a minute or two — which is exactly why a single tricky clue stands out. Because the Mini leans on everyday, current references, the answers are usually common words once the wordplay clicks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Illmatic" rapper”?

The answer is NAS, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on December 25, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “"Illmatic" rapper”?

3 letters: NAS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on December 25, 2025, at 7-Across.

Can “"Illmatic" rapper” 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.

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