"Sorry, Already Have Plans" Crossword Clue

By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: May 05, 2025

Need help with the "Sorry, already have plans" crossword clue from the May 05, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've found the precise 5-letter answer you're searching for. To enhance your puzzle-solving experience, we offer several interactive tools. Use our letter-by-letter reveal feature to gradually uncover the solution, or browse through our specially designed hints—including word patterns, similar clues with the same answer, or detailed explanations to guide your thinking process. We've also simplified the navigation between related clues from this puzzle. Ready to solve this polite rejection phrase? Let's explore the answer together!

Crossword Answer:

NEW YORK TIMES MINI, MAY / 05 / 2025
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About This Clue

The May 05, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "Sorry, already have plans" with the answer ICANT. This clue refers to a common polite way to decline an invitation or request. In conversational English, saying "I can't" often serves as a gentler, more socially acceptable way to say no without explicitly stating that you don't want to do something. Colloquial expressions and phrases like this appear frequently in NYT crosswords, as they reflect everyday language and common social interactions.

Social and Linguistic Context

The phrase "I can't" as a response to an invitation serves as a social lubricant in many situations. While it literally means that something is not possible for the speaker to do, in social contexts it often functions as a polite way to decline without explicitly stating a lack of interest or providing specific reasons. Linguistically, this is an example of what pragmatics researchers call an "indirect speech act," where the literal meaning ("I am unable to") differs from the intended communicative meaning ("I decline"). Such indirect speech acts are common in polite discourse across many cultures, as they allow people to navigate potentially awkward social situations with minimal confrontation or offense. The ambiguity of "I can't" is often intentional, as it can suggest either a genuine inability to attend (due to prior commitments, which the phrase "already have plans" in the clue reinforces) or simply a wish not to participate. This ambiguity allows both parties to save face: the person declining doesn't have to explicitly reject the invitation, and the person extending the invitation doesn't have to feel directly rejected. In modern digital communication, "I can't" has become even more prevalent as a quick, low-commitment way to decline invitations via text or social media. Its brevity and inherent ambiguity make it particularly well-suited for these platforms, where nuance can be difficult to convey. The clue "Sorry, already have plans" elegantly points to "ICANT" by highlighting one of the most common contexts in which this phrase is used: declining an invitation by implying a scheduling conflict.

NYT Mini Crossword Tips

When solving conversational phrase clues in the NYT Mini Crossword, it's helpful to think about common expressions used in everyday speech. For clues that suggest declining or rejecting something, consider brief, polite phrases people typically use in these situations. The clue "Sorry, already have plans" indicates a polite excuse or rejection, pointing to a common phrase used in similar social contexts. When you see quotation marks or casual language in a clue, this often signals that the answer will be a colloquial expression or spoken phrase rather than a formal term. The five-letter constraint for this answer narrows down the possibilities. Common ways to decline an invitation include "NO WAY," "SORRY," "CANTDO," and "ICANT." Since the clue specifically mentions "already have plans," ICANT fits well as the most appropriate response implying a prior commitment. For conversational phrase clues in general, try to imagine a natural dialogue where someone might respond with the answer. The Mini Crossword often draws from contemporary speech patterns and colloquialisms, making everyday phrases like "I CAN'T" perfect fits for these puzzles. Also, remember that when the answer is a phrase, it may appear without spaces in the crossword grid. So "I can't" becomes ICANT when entered into the puzzle squares.

Related Crossword Answers

ICANT

Clue: "That's beyond my abilities"

NOWAY

Clue: "Absolutely not!"

SORRY

Clue: "Polite rejection"

LATER

Clue: "Raincheck request"

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