NYT Mini · 8-Across · 5 letters
Denial that sounds like 7-Across in Pig Latin NYT Mini crossword clue
Editorially reviewed October 4, 2026
Answer · 5 letters
IXNAY
The 7-Across fill KNICKS sounds like NIX, a word for refusing or canceling something. Move the opening N sound of NIX to the end and add -AY: IXNAY. The clue uses sound rather than the basketball team's spelling.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →Use the sound of 7-Across, not its spelling
The cross-reference points to KNICKS, the 2026 NBA champions. Spoken aloud, KNICKS is a homophone of NIX, meaning to reject or put a stop to something. Moving the written K-N-I-C-K-S around would miss the clue's explicit sound instruction.
Turn NIX into the five-letter denial
In this familiar Pig Latin form, the initial N of NIX moves behind the remaining IX and takes -AY, producing IXNAY. Collins records IXNAY as Pig Latin for NIX, so the result is a refusal, not another sports term.
References behind this explanation
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Where this clue appeared
8-Across in NYT Mini puzzle for October 4, 2026.
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