Appropriate Anagram Of 5 Across Crossword Clue

By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: May 03, 2025

Curious about the Appropriate anagram of 5 across crossword clue from the May 03, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've analyzed the puzzle thoroughly and identified the exact 6-letter answer you're looking for. For those interested in a more interactive solving experience, we offer engaging features to enhance your puzzle-solving journey. You can uncover the solution one letter at a time with our interactive reveal tool, or explore our carefully crafted hints—such as an explanation of the wordplay, related clues with the same answer, or detailed linguistic context to guide your thinking. We've also made it easy to navigate between connected clues from the same puzzle, helping you solve multiple clues efficiently. Ready to discover this clever anagram solution? Let's explore the answer together!

Crossword Answer:

NEW YORK TIMES MINI, MAY / 03 / 2025
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About This Clue

The May 3, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "Appropriate anagram of 5-Across" with the answer LISTEN. This is a clever wordplay clue that requires solvers to first identify the answer to 5-Across ("Not making a sound"), which is SILENT, and then rearrange those letters to form a new word. The term "appropriate" in the clue serves a dual purpose: it indicates that you need to find an anagram, and it suggests that the resulting word has a meaningful connection to the original word. In this case, LISTEN is indeed an appropriate anagram of SILENT, as both words relate to sound—one referring to the absence of sound and the other to the act of hearing sounds.

Context for "LISTEN"

The word "listen" comes from the Old English "hlysnan," meaning "to pay attention to." As a verb, it refers to the act of giving attention to sound, particularly speech, in order to hear and understand it. In the context of this crossword clue, LISTEN forms a perfect anagram of SILENT (the answer to 5-Across, "Not making a sound"). This is a particularly elegant wordplay because the two words have a thematic relationship—to listen effectively, one often needs to be silent. This connection makes the anagram "appropriate," as hinted at in the clue. The act of listening is distinguished from simply hearing; listening implies active engagement and attention to what is being heard. This distinction is reflected in common phrases like "listen up," "listen carefully," or "a good listener," all of which emphasize the active and attentive nature of listening. In various contexts, listening takes on specialized meanings. In music, to listen to a piece means to pay attention to its melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. In communication theory, active listening is a specific technique that involves fully concentrating on what is being said rather than passively hearing the speaker's message. In crossword puzzles, anagram clues like this one are a common form of wordplay that asks solvers to rearrange the letters of one word to form another. The fact that SILENT and LISTEN share the same letters but have related meanings makes this particular anagram especially satisfying for puzzle enthusiasts.

NYT Mini Crossword Tips

When solving clues like "Appropriate anagram of 5-Across" in the NYT Mini Crossword, consider these helpful strategies: First, recognize the clue type. The presence of the word "anagram" signals that you'll need to rearrange letters from another answer in the puzzle. In this case, you must first solve 5-Across ("Not making a sound" = SILENT) before tackling this clue. Pay attention to cross-referencing. When a clue refers to another answer in the puzzle, like "5-Across," it creates a dependency—you need to solve one clue to solve the other. In the Mini Crossword, these connections are often intentionally designed to help solvers by providing multiple paths to the answer. Consider the qualifier words carefully. The term "appropriate" in this clue isn't just filler—it hints at a meaningful relationship between the original word and its anagram. LISTEN is indeed an appropriate anagram of SILENT because both relate to sound in complementary ways. Use the letter count as confirmation. Once you know that 5-Across is SILENT (6 letters), you can verify that your anagram should also be 6 letters, which LISTEN satisfies. Check intersecting answers. As you fill in crossing answers, the revealed letters can help confirm or guide your anagram solution. Remember that the Mini Crossword often employs this type of wordplay to add layers of challenge and satisfaction to the solving experience. Recognizing common patterns like anagrams, homophones, or hidden words can significantly improve your solving speed and enjoyment.

Related Crossword Answers

LISTEN

Clue: "Pay attention to"

LISTEN

Clue: "Hear attentively"

SILENT

Clue: "Not making a sound"

ENLIST

Clue: "Sign up for military service"

More Clues & Answers For The New York Times Mini (May 3, 2025)

ACROSS

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