Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it

Latest answer — May 03, 2026

4 Down

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NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Sunday, May 03, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Culinary institute instructor
  2. 5"Earth to [name]? You there?!"
  3. 7How you shouldn't read the cue words on a teleprompter
  4. 8___-Bismol (antacid brand)
  5. 9Mean-mugging look

Down

  1. 1Dries out, as lips
  2. 2___ of Troy
  3. 3Say "I dos" without the ado?
  4. 4Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it
  5. 6Smell from a dumpster

The answer to “Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it” in the New York Times Mini crossword is FLUTE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on May 3, 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.

“Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it” answer

FLUTE (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 FLUTE.

Why the answer is FLUTE

FLUTE is the 5-letter solution that fits "Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it" in the NYT Mini crossword on May 3, 2026 (4-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

What does FLUTE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a wind instrument made from a tube with holes that are stopped by the fingers or keys, held vertically or horizontally (in which case it is also called a transverse flute) so that the player's breath strikes a narrow edge. The modern orchestral form is a transverse flute, typically made of metal, with an elaborate set of keys
  • an ornamental vertical groove in a column
  • a tall, narrow wine glass

When else has “Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it” 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.

May 3, 2026 (most recent) → FLUTE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it”?

The answer is FLUTE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on May 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it”?

5 letters: FLUTE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on May 3, 2026, at 4-Down.

Can “Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it” 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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