Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s a pretty fun and easy one today. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Questionable
Answer: IFFY

5A clue: Country that’s about 25 times longer than it is wide
Answer: CHILE

6A clue: iPhone setting that reduces distractions
Answer: FOCUS

7A clue: Magnum ___ (masterpiece)
Answer: OPUS

8A clue: Get-together, slangily
Answer: SESH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: “Fingers crossed!”
Answer: IHOPE

2D clue: Indoor plant whose name is one vowel off from 6-Across
Answer: FICUS

3D clue: A❤️ 9❤️ 6❤️ 4❤️ 2❤️, e.g.
Answer: FLUSH

4D clue: What “aye” means
Answer: YES

5D clue: Corp. money managers
Answer: CFOS

Apple is reportedly preparing one of the biggest Siri redesigns in years with iOS 27, but even after multiple delays, the company may still label the upgraded assistant as a beta product. According to reports from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, internal test versions of iOS 27 already refer to the revamped Siri as a beta experience and include an option allowing users to leave the Siri beta entirely.

The move would be unusually familiar for longtime Apple users. When Apple originally introduced Siri in 2011, the assistant itself launched under a beta label before Apple quietly removed the branding in 2013. Despite that, Siri has continued to face criticism for lagging behind competitors in reliability, conversational abilities, and overall intelligence.

Apple’s AI catch-up strategy is taking longer than expected

The revamped Siri was originally expected to arrive in 2024 as part of Apple’s broader AI push. However, multiple reports now suggest the project has faced delays of nearly two years.

According to Gurman’s reporting, Apple is rebuilding Siri into a more advanced chatbot-style assistant capable of handling ongoing conversations, contextual memory, and deeper app integration. The redesign could also introduce a standalone Siri app, chat-style interactions similar to messaging apps, and integration with the Dynamic Island interface on supported iPhones.

The issue for Apple is timing. While Apple continues refining Siri, rivals like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and other Android-based AI systems have already rolled out advanced conversational assistants with broader real-world capabilities.

That gap has increasingly made Siri feel outdated compared to competing AI products, especially as Apple continues marketing Apple Intelligence as a major part of the iPhone experience.

Why the beta label matters

If Apple officially launches the new Siri as a beta feature in iOS 27, it could serve two purposes. First, it gives Apple flexibility to continue refining the assistant publicly after launch while lowering expectations around bugs, hallucinations, or missing features. Second, it allows the company to release AI features sooner rather than waiting for a more polished final version.

The beta branding would also reflect the broader challenge Apple currently faces in AI. Unlike competitors that prioritize rapid deployment, Apple has historically focused more heavily on stability, privacy, and controlled rollouts.

Reports also suggest Apple is introducing stronger privacy controls into Siri’s AI experience, including optional auto-delete settings for conversation history.

What happens next

Apple is expected to reveal more about Siri’s redesign and its AI roadmap during WWDC next month. Developer beta versions of iOS 27 will likely be the first public look at the new Siri experience.

However, the larger question remains whether Apple’s slower, more cautious AI rollout can still compete in a market where rivals have spent the last two years aggressively pushing generative AI into mainstream consumer products.

For now, Siri’s overhaul appears less like a finished comeback and more like Apple finally arriving at the AI race – still mid-development.

Altra Running’s distinctive wide toe box and zero drop heel-toe design don’t facilitate marathon PRs or punchy 5Ks. But there’s a reason why Leonardo DiCaprio chose to wear all-weather Lone Peaks when playing Bob Ferguson in One Battle After Another. They’re comfortable, rugged, and the zero-drop design keeps you from getting tendonitis. Altras are the perfect shoe for surviving in an off-grid dystopian war, even if they’re not at the top of the list when it comes to the best running shoes.

Get Up to 50% Off at the Altra Running Sale

The Lone Peaks are iconic and instantly recognizable. But don’t worry, if you don’t want the exact model that Bob Ferguson has, the hiking version of the Lone Peaks is also on sale for $36 off. In fact, there are tons of different styles of men’s shoes right now, including up to 50% off select styles.

Save 20% on Select Altra Running Shoes

Maybe you’re investigating Altra running shoes because a more widely-known brand, like Brooks or Nike, has a toe box that’s just too small. In that case, Altra doesn’t exclusively make trail running shoes. The Fwd Via is Altra’s version of the Brooks Glycerin—the ultra-cushioned road running shoe. It’s also on sale, along with various running shoes at 20% off.

Unlock 15% Off: SMS Welcome Offer

One of the easiest ways to save at Altra running is to sign up for text messages from them. Once you sign up, you’ll receive an Altra SMS welcome offer that’s good for 15% off your next purchase. Once you receive it and you’re ready to buy, you’ll just need to input the Altra promo code at checkout, and click “Apply A Promo Code.” just know that the Altra promo code is valid for only 30 days after you receive and is valid for a one-time use only. (Plus, it’s not valid at any third party retail store or website.)

Get a 10% Altra Promo Code When You Sign Up

I have run in a model of the Altra Lone Peaks for a decade. Where I live is the unofficial trail running capital of the United States, and everyone sports a pair of these shoes while hiking or at the bar. It’s totally worth it to sign up for the loyalty program and get the Altra Running promo code. (I also do this with my children, who exclusively wear Salomons.) When you sign up for the Altra loyalty program, you’ll get 10% off as a thank you.

10% Off Altra Olympus 275

The Altra Olympus 275 for both men and women just may be the hottest trail running shoe of the season. The Altra Olympus 275 is best for technical trail and all-day trail running, with increased durability, protection, and lightweight construction to face the toughest trails. Plus, it has a custom-designed MATRYX one-piece woven upper that’s both lightweight and protective. A grippyVibram Megagrip outsole helps with traction on wet and dry surfaces to ensure that no matter what type of terrain or weather conditions you encounter on the trail, you’ll be set. Plus, when you sign up to be an Altra member, you’ll get 10% off your Altra Olympus 275 pair.

Score Free Standard Shipping on All Altra Orders

You can get free standard delivery in 5-7 business days (however, there’s no weekend delivery) for free when you order through Altra! If you need your shoes in a rush, there’s 2-day shipping (with no weekend delivery) for $16.95, and next-day delivery (Saturday and Sunday orders ship on Mondays) for $22.

B&H Photo is one of our favorite places to shop for camera gear. If you’re ever in New York, head to the store to check out the giant overhead conveyor belt system that brings your purchase from the upper floors to the registers downstairs (yes, seriously, here’s a video). Fortunately B&H Photo’s website is here for the rest of us with some good deals on photo gear we love.

Save on the Latest Gear at B&H Photo

B&H Photo has plenty of great deals, including Nikon’s brand-new Z6III full-frame mirrorless camera for $2,196.95 ($300 off). The Z6III (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is huge update for the Z6 line, and a great all-around camera for Nikon fans. There are also great deals like the Nikon Zf (8/10, WIRED Recommends) full frame mirrorless camera for $200 off, or the Nikon Z8 for $600 off.

Not in the market for the latest Nikon cameras? There are plenty of other deals, like our favorite action camera, the GoPro Hero 13 for $70 off (7/10, WIRED Recommends), and Sony’s a7R V full frame mirrorless camera for $400 off.

Why a B&H Gift Card Makes the Ultimate Tech Gift

Not sure what to get the tech or photography lover in your life this holiday season? A B&H gift card is a gift people on your list will actually want. B&H has tech for every person in your life, with hundreds of models of cameras, computers, projectors, and more.

How Do I Get Free Shipping at B&H?

One of the many perks of B&H Photo is their generous free shipping policy. Most orders at B&H over $49 qualify for free expedited shipping to the lower 48 states. The savings just keep coming, as most items totaling under $49 also qualify for free standard shipping in the contiguous US. If for some reason your order doesn’t qualify for free shipping, you can review alternative shipping options during checkout—full shipping policy details can be found here.

Best Times to Find B&H Promo Codes and Discounts

Like most retailers, B&H Photo offers some of their best deals of the year during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to save outside of this sale period. There’s still time to jump on extended holiday sales, with up to $300 24-hour camera discounts, and featured price drops across all accessories. While there may not be any B&H promo codes available at the moment, there are plenty of other ways to save at B&H.

Exclusive B&H Student Discounts

If you’re a student with an EDU email, sign up for B&H Photo’s student discount program, which offers free shipping on most orders and exclusive discounts.

Score Deals on Used and Refurbished Gear

B&H Photo also deals in used and refurbished gear. Deals (and conditions) vary, and I have never purchased a used item this way, but if you’re looking to save some money, that’s another way to go.

Trade-in Your Old Gear at B&H

The flip side of B&H Photos used deals is that you can sell your old gear. I put in my old Sony a7 II and was offered $210, which is more than I would have thought. Your offer is contingent on it matching the condition you claim, but if you’ve got gear you aren’t using anymore, this is a way to turn it into some extra cash.

In this week’s “Sunday Reboot,” Liquid Glass gets an award, Tim Cook heads to China once again, and a wish for HomeKit to be more cat-friendly.

Sunday Reboot is a weekly column covering some of the lighter stories within the Apple reality distortion field from the past seven days. All to get the next week underway with a good first step.

This week, Apple’s ambitions to expand its F1 coverage got knocked back, hackers attacked supply chain partner Foxconn, and AI has managed to break Apple’s security in new ways.

Appreciation for Liquid Glass

Since its introduction, Liquid Glass has been widely criticized for not being good enough for the perfection-seeking average user. It was an aesthetic that led to complaints that it was too transparent, or when it wasn’t transparent, that it wasn’t transparent enough.

It was a change that you either liked or hated, and that Apple worked to try and make people like.

Liquid Glass in iOS 26 – Image Credit: Apple

This is in part due to Apple having invested so much time in the design. So much so that you can expect it to hang around in the iOS 27 and macOS 27 generation, and be enhanced further.

While its user base has seemingly underappreciated Liquid Glass, it still got its dues from the experts. It received a Gold Cube honor at the 2026 Art Directors Club of New York Awards.

At a minimum, it means judges who know about the hard work and thinking that goes into design acknowledge what Apple has done. Even if there is a vocal contingent who dislike it.

No, it wasn’t the only thing Apple got a Gold Cube for, as it was honored for its Apple TV rebrand and a couple of ads too. But Liquid Glass getting a gong is a big thing for something that everyone complained about since the outset.

After a year of living with it, Apple’s reached a good place with the UI. As a modern interface, it’s an aesthetic that I can certainly live with, without much complaining.

When WWDC hits in June, Apple will certainly be making more changes, but it’s got a decent base to work from. Just hope it doesn’t go too nuts with it.

Tim Cook in China, once again

Current Apple CEO Tim Cook is enjoying his last few months in the hot seat, in preparation for the John Ternus era. While he can take his victory lap with ease, Cook is still the top man at the company for the moment, and so is still being called upon to do his CEO thing.

The latest is a headline that we have heard quite a few times before: Tim Cook has gone to China.

President Donald Trump and Apple CEO Tim Cook at a previous meeting

We’re all familiar with Apple executives visiting Asia for various reasons, and Cook has done so quite a few times already. He’s visited stores, talked to developers, and even took part in the recent anniversary celebrations there.

This time, it’s somewhat different. He’s gone there with a bunch of executives from other companies, as part of a group following U.S. President Donald Trump to the country.

Trump’s trip is one about trade, a hot topic that he wants to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping about. Naturally, Trump needed to bring over a bunch of CEOS to emphasize the point of America being serious about business.

Cook’s travel on a US-sanctioned package holiday is still of benefit to Apple, despite really being more to support Trump’s high-level discussion. He has spent years building a working relationship with Trump to Apple’s considerable advantage.

At the very least, it will be a way to pacify Trump as Cook shifts from CEO to Executive Chairman in the fall. Cook will still be around, dealing with the political side of Apple on behalf of Ternus, who simply doesn’t have a history with Trump at all.

The Trump trip wouldn’t have been that productive for Cook at the time, but it’s one to help maintain a relationship for Apple’s future. At least while Trump is in charge.

Cat business and the need for HomeKit to adapt

As an Apple-focused site, it won’t surprise anyone that our team uses HomeKit and the Apple Home in various ways. We also know that cats rule the Internet, so if there’s an excuse to talk at length and to put photos of them up, we’ll take it.

On Friday, the two topics combined in a piece discussing the various ways one AppleInsider writer uses HomeKit with his collection of fluffy mischief missiles.

However, as usual, HomeKit is not playing that big a part here compared to what it could be doing. There’s some elements that can be HomeKit-powered, like cameras for monitoring and sensors for gates, but not the specialized stuff.

In Wesley’s case, that consisted of two product categories. One is an automatic pet feeder and the other is an automatic litter box.

Wesley’s cat Harvie handling business in the Litter-Robot 5.

While I can’t talk much about the feeder, I can certainly enthuse about the benefits of an automatically-cleaning cat toilet. With four cats of my own, it’s something that makes the air clearer and the process of ejecting used litter considerably easier, as I have mentioned before.

That said, these sorts of products are not directly supported by HomeKit at all. There’s no specific product category for a cat toilet, so we are stuck relying on a companion app.

My wish is for Apple to open up HomeKit in WWDC to allow manufacturers to specify the controls and sensors that HomeKit can access on their hardware. To me, this does obviously mean enabling some functions for automatic litter boxes and other devices in HomeKit.

The hope is that hardware could be added to HomeKit regardless of whether there is existing support for particular product categories. Sure, Apple could more firmly define what is permissible to do with a litterbox in HomeKit in the future, but I just want to be able to have a “Clean it now” button in HomeKit.

Sure, I wouldn’t mind having the hall light flashing red if the litter box is “full” and needs cleaning. But really, just having the ability to put the basic controls into HomeKit at all would be great.

Last week’s Sunday Reboot discussed Apple’s chip troubles, trademarking oranges, and “Schmigadoon!” going fantastically in its life after Apple TV.