Symbol next to a tainted record

Latest answer — January 03, 2026

4 Down

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Saturday, January 03, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Tapioca pearls
  2. 5Disappear into thin air
  3. 7"C'mon, we expect more from you"
  4. 9Dangerous, as a winter sidewalk
  5. 10Social media ___ (what we're in now)
  6. 11Feeling down
  7. 12Director Howard
  8. 13Nightlife for which Miami is famous
  9. 16Cause of early aging
  10. 17The sun in "sunnyside up"

Down

  1. 1New parent's reason for canceling plans
  2. 24/4
  3. 3Fraction of a byte
  4. 4Symbol next to a tainted record
  5. 5Singer's contribution to a song
  6. 6Long-necked birds
  7. 7___ golf
  8. 8Sounded, as a doorbell
  9. 14"Dude!"
  10. 15___ Air (neighborhood in L.A.)

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Tapioca pearls — Answer: BOBA
  2. 5. Disappear into thin air — Answer: VANISH
  3. 7. "C'mon, we expect more from you" — Answer: DOBETTER
  4. 9. Dangerous, as a winter sidewalk — Answer: ICY
  5. 10. Social media ___ (what we're in now) — Answer: ERA
  6. 11. Feeling down — Answer: SAD
  7. 12. Director Howard — Answer: RON. Hint: Think of the filmmaker behind Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind. 🎬
  8. 13. Nightlife for which Miami is famous — Answer: CLUBBING
  9. 16. Cause of early aging — Answer: STRESS
  10. 17. The sun in "sunnyside up" — Answer: YOLK

Down

  1. 1. New parent's reason for canceling plans — Answer: BABYDUTY
  2. 2. 4/4 — Answer: ONE
  3. 3. Fraction of a byte — Answer: BIT
  4. 4. Symbol next to a tainted record — Answer: ASTERISK
  5. 5. Singer's contribution to a song — Answer: VOCALS
  6. 6. Long-necked birds — Answer: HERONS
  7. 7. ___ golf — Answer: DISC. Hint: It's a popular sport that involves throwing a flying object into a series of baskets! 🥏
  8. 8. Sounded, as a doorbell — Answer: RANG
  9. 14. "Dude!" — Answer: BRO
  10. 15. ___ Air (neighborhood in L.A.) — Answer: BEL

Recent NYT Mini Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Symbol next to a tainted record” in the New York Times Mini crossword is ASTERISK — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on January 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.

“Symbol next to a tainted record” answer

ASTERISK (8 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 ASTERISK.

Why the answer is ASTERISK

ASTERISK is the 8-letter solution that fits "Symbol next to a tainted record" in the NYT Mini crossword on January 3, 2026 (4-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “Symbol next to a tainted record” 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.

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

More NYT Mini answers for January 3, 2026

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the NYT Mini on January 3, 2026 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.

Across

Down

Want the whole grid in one place? The full NYT Mini answer list for January 3, 2026 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 “Symbol next to a tainted record”?

The answer is ASTERISK, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on January 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Symbol next to a tainted record”?

8 letters: ASTERISK.

When did this clue appear?

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

Can “Symbol next to a tainted record” 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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