What The Beaklike Teeth Of A Parrotfish Are Used To Bite Crossword Clue
By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: Apr 21, 2025
Seeking the solution to the intriguing "What the beaklike teeth of a parrotfish are used to bite" crossword clue from the Apr 21, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've identified the precise 5-letter answer you're searching for. If you'd like a more interactive puzzle-solving experience, we offer engaging features to enhance your journey. Our step-by-step letter reveal tool allows you to uncover the solution gradually, while our thoughtfully developed hints provide alternative approaches through anagrams, similar clues, or comprehensive explanations to guide your thinking process. We've also made it simple to navigate between related clues from the same puzzle for a seamless solving experience. Ready to expand your marine biology knowledge and crossword expertise? Let's explore today's solution!
Crossword Answer:
You can click on the ? tiles to reveal letter by letter before uncovering the full solution.
About This Clue
The April 21, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "What the beaklike teeth of a parrotfish are used to bite" with the answer CORAL. This clue references the unique feeding behavior of parrotfish, which use their specialized dental structures to bite and scrape coral from reef structures.
Marine Biology Connection
Parrotfish are fascinating marine creatures known for their vibrant colors and unique feeding habits. They have evolved specialized teeth that are fused together to form a strong, beaklike structure (similar to a parrot's beak, hence their name). These powerful dental structures allow parrotfish to bite off chunks of coral from reef ecosystems. As they feed, they crush the coral using pharyngeal teeth located in their throats and extract the nutritious algae living within the coral structure. Interestingly, the indigestible calcium carbonate coral skeleton passes through their digestive system and is excreted as fine sand, making parrotfish significant contributors to beach formation in tropical areas.
NYT Mini Crossword Tips
When solving clues related to natural science or animal behavior in crosswords, drawing on basic knowledge of biology can be helpful. For marine biology clues like this one, consider the distinctive features or behaviors of the mentioned species. In this case, understanding what parrotfish eat (coral) provides the direct answer. Science-related clues in the NYT Mini often test general knowledge rather than specialized expertise, making them accessible to most solvers with a foundation in basic scientific concepts.
Related Crossword Answers
REEF
Clue: "Coral structure"
ALGAE
Clue: "Food source in coral"
OCEAN
Clue: "Parrotfish habitat"
BEAK
Clue: "Parrotlike feature of certain fish"
More Clues & Answers For The New York Times Mini (April 21, 2025)
ACROSS
- 1. What the beaklike teeth of a parrotfish are used to bite
- 6. On top of
- 7. Noodle soup with "tonkotsu" and "shoyu" varieties
- 8. Sharp as a tack
- 9. "___ questions?"