NYT Mini · 6-Across · 5 letters

___ bird NYT Mini crossword clue

Editorially reviewed August 31, 2026

Complete the phrase

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5 letters

or use the phrase frame below

Phrase cue

Think of the bird that gets the worm.

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Answer

EARLY

Why these words complete it

EARLY completes “early bird,” the familiar phrase for a person who starts ahead of others. The answer also recalls the proverb about getting the worm.

Continue this puzzleSpider ___ →

The phrase frame

The blank precedes “bird” and asks for the adjective in a common expression.

What the completed phrase means

An early bird is someone who gets up, arrives, or acts before others.

Where this clue appeared

6-Across in NYT Mini puzzle for August 31, 2026.

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More selected clues from NYT Mini · August 31, 2026

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