NYT Mini · 1-Across · 5 letters
Poker game entry fee NYT Mini crossword clue
Editorially reviewed October 10, 2026
Answer · 5 letters
BUY-IN
In the grid: BUYIN · no spaces
BUY-IN is the five-letter answer to October 10 NYT Mini 1-Across. The clue asks for the cost of entering the game, not a wager during a hand. Write the compound without its hyphen in the grid: BUYIN.
Different crossing letters? Check another fit →An ante belongs to a hand, not entry to the game
ANTE is a tempting poker-related answer, but it names a compulsory contribution before a hand rather than the overall cost of joining. It also has four letters. The clue's word 'entry' is the useful distinction: look for the starting commitment, not a recurring wager.
Buy-in is the noun; buy in is the action
The hyphenated noun names the amount or arrangement; the two-word verb describes joining. Crossword squares omit the hyphen, leaving five letters. PokerStars' guide uses buy-in for the entrance amount, while its tournament documentation may separate the prize-pool contribution from an additional administrative entry fee. The clue uses the broader everyday entrance-cost sense.
References behind this explanation
- October 10 Mini dated numbered clue
- PokerStars: understanding the buy-in
- PokerStars tournament types and fee breakdown
These references support the meaning or background; they are not publisher endorsements.
Where this clue appeared
1-Across in NYT Mini puzzle for October 10, 2026.
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