Quick Answer
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Crossword clue: “Intimidated”
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Answer: COWED – 5 letters
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Clue number and direction: 6 Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Intimidated” is answered with COWED (5-letter past-tense verb) in the February 14, 2026 NYT Mini.
Why COWED Is the Right NYT Answer
In everyday English, “to cow” someone means to frighten or overawe them into submission, so COWED directly matches the idea of “intimidated.” Many thesauruses and crossword dictionaries list COWED as a standard synonym for intimidated, daunted, or bullied.
For the February 14, 2026 NYT Mini, the entry length is fixed at five letters, and multiple solver resources confirm that the official answer for “Intimidated” is COWED, so it fits both the clue’s meaning and the grid pattern.
What COWED Means
COWED is the past tense of the verb “to cow,” meaning to make someone feel so threatened or overpowered that they lose confidence or back down. For example: “The harsh criticism cowed the rookie player” means the criticism intimidated or overawed them.
In the crossword, “Intimidated” is simply cluing that emotional state, so COWED is a precise, slightly old-fashioned but very common match in puzzle language.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
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Short past-tense emotion clues like “Intimidated,” “Scared,” “Nerved up,” or “Overawed” often resolve to compact verbs ending in -ED (COWED, DAUNTED, NERVOUS, etc.), with COWED a frequent pick.
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If you see a 5-letter pattern like C_W_E_ with a clue about fear or pressure, COWED should be on your shortlist once crossings confirm the O and D.
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It helps to remember “cow” as a verb in crossword contexts, even if you don’t hear it that way much in everyday conversation.
Complete February 14, 2026 NYT Mini Answers Today (Across & Down)
Here are the key answers from the February 14, 2026 NYT Mini to help you complete the full grid.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Org. with a Slam Dunk Contest | NBA | 3 |
| Menacing creature in “The Lord of the Rings” | ORC | 3 |
| Spherical shape | ORB | 3 |
| Greek “r” | RHO | 3 |
| Symbol on Hawaii’s license plate | RAINBOW | 7 |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| More courageous | BRAVER | 6 |
| Virginia governor Spanberger | ABIGAIL | 7 |
| Went around the world? | ORBITED | 7 |
| Colossus of ___, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World | RHODES | 6 |
| Intimidated | COWED | 5 |
