NYT Mini · 4-Across · 4 letters
Quaint term for a boyfriend, from the French NYT Mini crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 31, 2026
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Meaning cue
Use the four-letter French word that entered English for a male admirer.
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Answer
Why it fits
BEAU is the four-letter French-derived term for a boyfriend or admirer. “Quaint” signals that the English use sounds old-fashioned today.
Continue this puzzleSpider ___ →What narrows the clue
The clue supplies both the relationship meaning and the French origin, narrowing the answer to a familiar loanword.
Answer meaning
A beau is a boyfriend, admirer, or male escort, especially in old-fashioned usage.
Where this clue appeared
4-Across in NYT Mini puzzle for August 31, 2026.
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