Skip to main content

Napoleon's punishment after the Battle of Waterloo — NYT Mini Crossword Clue (October 17, 2025)

Historical trivia anchors the mid grid across entry, pointing solvers to the well documented fate Napoleon faced following Waterloo. Below you will confirm why EXILE resolves the clue, how crossing letters reinforce the answer, and what context Word Tips provides alongside our deeper editorial read. All apostrophes appear as ' and quotation marks as " for immaculate HTML output.

7 Across

Napoleon's punishment after the Battle of Waterloo

EXILE

Word Tips frames the answer through synonyms like banishment and expulsion, echoing the documented historical record. Waterloo marked Napoleon's final defeat, after which he was banished to Saint Helena under British supervision. The Mini condenses that narrative into a crisp five letter fill that experienced solvers should recognize instantly.

Cross Letter Verification

  • 6-Across PIXIE secures one of EXILE's letters, making stray guesses like defeat or exilee impossible.
  • 2-Down PIXEL secures one of EXILE's letters, making stray guesses like defeat or exilee impossible.
  • 3-Down OXIDE secures one of EXILE's letters, making stray guesses like defeat or exilee impossible.
  • 4-Down OILED secures one of EXILE's letters, making stray guesses like defeat or exilee impossible.
  • 5-Down FEEDS secures one of EXILE's letters, making stray guesses like defeat or exilee impossible.

Historical Drilldown

Timeline Snapshot

Waterloo occurred on June 18, 1815. Within weeks, Napoleon surrendered to British forces and was transported to Saint Helena, where he remained until his death in 1821. The Mini compresses this multi year exile into a lightning quick clue for crossword solvers.

Letter Pattern Insight

The alternating consonant vowel pattern (E X I L E) is Mini friendly. The X is supported by PIXIE and PIXEL, a deliberate editorial choice that ensures the crossing letters confirm each other.

Strategic Takeaway

When historic punishments appear in Minis, exile is a frequent go to answer because it is concise and widely known. Keep it in your mental toolkit for future puzzles referencing emperors or monarchs removed from power.

Beyond Word Tips

Our analysis adds location context (Saint Helena) and explains why exile is historically accurate for this moment instead of alternatives like imprisonment or execution.