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Surrendered — NYT Mini Crossword Clue (October 17, 2025)

A mid grid payoff clue that wraps the across sequence. Here you will confirm how the New York Times Mini expects CEDED, the subtle double letter answer that tracks perfectly with Word Tips hints and the surrounding down stack. All apostrophes appear as ' and quotation marks as " to maintain clean HTML.

8 Across

Surrendered

CEDED

Word Tips outlines the meaning as giving up territory or power. That matches the Mini's precision and cues you to avoid the similarly clued yielded, which contains six letters and breaks the grid symmetry. CEDED's mirrored consonants make it a classic Monday or Mini level entry.

Crossing Safety Net

  • 1-Down SPECS confirms CEDED's letters. The double E emerges once SPECS and FEEDS intersect, preventing solver second guessing.
  • 3-Down OXIDE confirms CEDED's letters. The double E emerges once SPECS and FEEDS intersect, preventing solver second guessing.
  • 4-Down OILED confirms CEDED's letters. The double E emerges once SPECS and FEEDS intersect, preventing solver second guessing.
  • 5-Down FEEDS confirms CEDED's letters. The double E emerges once SPECS and FEEDS intersect, preventing solver second guessing.
  • 9-Across SLEDS confirms CEDED's letters. The double E emerges once SPECS and FEEDS intersect, preventing solver second guessing.

Editorial Insight

Letter Pattern Recognition

Mini constructors like CEDED because it uses only three unique letters, making a satisfying visual anchor. Recognize the CE-ED pattern to drop it in quickly when you see synonyms like relented or surrendered.

Strategic Trigger

If you already solved EXILE directly before this clue, think thematically about power shifts. CEDED follows the same logic of authority transfer, reinforcing the puzzle's historical throughline.

Avoiding Pitfalls

Beware of caved or yielded. The Mini's tight construction rarely allows variant verb endings. Check the letter count first, then commit to CEDED when the pattern matches.

Beyond Word Tips

Our commentary adds solving heuristics and letter pattern drills that the external clue page skips, giving you a more robust playbook for future puzzles.