‘Opposite of acidic’ NYT Mini Crossword clue answer and hints

Time for a high-school science lesson!

Picture showing the opposite of Acidic clue cover in NYT Mini Crossword.
Image by Dot Esports

Have you ever visited the chemistry lab in your High School? I have, and it’s very fun to mix different solutions to make useful products. Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue “Opposide of acidic” tests your scientific temper and asks you to find an alternative to acids.   

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If today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue feels tricky, check out these hints and solutions for the Sept. 21 puzzle and breeze through your word game. 

‘Opposite of Acidic’ NYT Sept. 22 Mini Crossword hints and answer

Picture showing the opposite of Acidic clue in NYT Mini Crossword.
It neutralizes acids. Screenshot by Dot Esports
  • Hint 1: The answer refers to something easy to understand and fundamental.
  • Hint 2: The five-letter word used to describe a solution with a pH higher than 7.
  • Hint 3: It starts with the letter “B.”
  • Hint 4: The solution is a synonym for elementary or simple.

Let’s pour from the test tubes and reveal the answer. 

Did you see it coming? The answer to one cross in the Sept. 22 New York Times Mini Crossword is “BASIC.” The clue opposite of acidic refers to the basic solution which has a pH higher than seven. You can differentiate between acids and bases by conducting a litmus test. Some everyday items that use which are basic in nature are Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), Soap, Toothpaste, and many more. 

DID YOU KNOW?

In pop culture, the term “basic” became a popular slang term in the 2010s to describe someone who is perceived as liking mainstream or predictable things.

‘Opposite of Acidic’ NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

If you had chemistry in your high school then you should be aware of the acids and the bases which are fundamental concepts. However, the clue gets tricker when you need to dissolve the base with a solvent to get the basic solution and your answer so it needs a bit of science knowledge to solve this one.

I’d give it a three out of five for difficulty.

NYT Mini Crossword (Sept. 22) answers

Across

  • 1A Opposite of acidic—BASIC
  • 6A Where the hamstring is—THIGH
  • 7A Pixar film whose opening 35 minutes feature nearly no dialogue—WALLE
  • 8A Glacial—SLOW
  • 9A “Yo ___” (Spanish for “I am”)—SOY

Down

  • 1D “Oh, I meant to tell you …,” in texts—BTW
  • 2D Light bulb moments—AHAS
  • 3D Window ledges—SILLS
  • 4D Shelter made of snow blocks—IGLOO
  • 5D Like bagels and gummy bears—CHEWY

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

Are the NYT Mini word games your favorite? Add the LA Times and Washington Post puzzles to your routine. Strands and Spelling Bee also present unique and fun challenges for building your vocabulary.

Author
Image of Rijit Banerjee
Rijit Banerjee
Staff Writer at Dot Esports. You'll find him grinding platinum trophies and breaking the meta with his "fun" picks in the ranked queue when he's not reading his favourite Fantasy books. Previously wrote for GG Recon, ESTNN, and many more. Contact: rijit@dotesports.com