AOL alternative NYT Crossword Clue
“Crossword folks know these tech clues can come out of nowhere. A clue like ‘AOL alternative’ drops you right back into the dial-up days, doesn’t it? For a lot of solvers, these retro clues are a mix of nostalgia and guessing games. But they’re worth nailing—because the right answer often shapes half the grid. Some folks automatically think GMAIL or YAHOO, but then you stare at the crossers and realize, nah, editors are going old-school this time.”
Answer
This go-round, the answer is MSN. Just three letters, nice and neat—fits perfectly for those classic tech throwback clues NYT crams into Minis. MSN, Microsoft’s network, was the “other” internet biggie right alongside AOL back in the early 2000s.
Explanation
What makes “MSN” the one? In crosswords, “AOL alternative” is a small window into early web culture. Editors pick answers that hit both nostalgia and crossword construction—short, vowel-heavy, and well-known. Back then, you had AOL chatrooms, then MSN Messenger, all in the same era. As a solver, sometimes you have to ditch modern instincts and step back into that ‘90s-2000s scene. MSN was the go-to for millions, so it’s no surprise it pops up when space calls for three letters and a little retro flavor. And yeah, don’t be shocked if someday they throw YAHOO or GMAIL in for the same clue—crosswords love rotating classics.
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers – August 2, 2025
If you want a peek at the whole grid for August 2, 2025, here’s what came up in today’s Mini:
| TikTok or Tinder | Show |
| Lawyers' org. | Show |
| Place with Bunsen burners and beakers, in brief | Show |
| Product that can be sampled with a spray on the wrist | Show |
| Visibly muscular | Show |
| Groceries carrier | Show |
| Self-indulgent "journey" | Show |
| AOL alternative | Show |
| Things that phone users might accidentally tap on webpages | Show |
| Sports org. that now includes schools from Texas and California, strangely enough | Show |
| Hobbyists with cameras, informally | Show |
| Big name in exercise bikes | Show |
| "Solve for x" subject | Show |
| Temporary fix, so to speak | Show |
| Pres. Lincoln | Show |
| "Show me the ___" (punny request at an art museum) | Show |
| President pro ___ | Show |
| Road trip assistance, for short | Show |
About NYT Mini Crossword
The Mini is all about surprises. Some days, it’s a sprint; other days, you’re stumped by a three-letter answer you haven’t seen in years. Editors sprinkle in nostalgia and new slang alike, making every grid a different flavor. Mini’s charm is how it blends memory, trivia, and pure wordplay in a way you won’t get bored of anytime soon.
How to Solve a Crossword
Best advice? Don’t chase every answer in order. Drop in the ones that pop and let the rest reveal themselves through crossing letters. For a clue like “AOL alternative,” ask yourself: what did folks really use right after AOL’s heyday? Sometimes your age helps, sometimes it doesn’t. If you get stuck, skip, return, and don’t get attached to your first guess—half the fun’s in the second-guessing.
Tips for NYT Mini Crosswords
Quick wins first—fill the answers you know cold, then build around them.
Retro tech or brand clues? Think about which options fit the blank spaces, not just the literal “most famous.”
Crossings are gold—use them to rule out or zero in, especially with three-letter clues.
Don’t be afraid to erase and replace. Mini puzzles go fast, but mistakes are just part of the process.
Take every mini as a warmup and don’t get tangled up on one square—tomorrow’s clues will flip the script all over again.
