‘Spice that tastes like licorice’ NYT Mini Crossword puzzle clue answer and hints

Do you enjoy cooking or savoring spicy food? I don’t, and that’s kind of funny since I am from India, which is often known as the land of spices. Today’s NYT Mini Crossword clue, “Spice that tastes like licorice,” tests your knowledge of spices used in different delicacies and drinks all over the world. 

Don’t let today’s NYT Mini Crossword clues slow you down. Use our hints and answers to breeze through your puzzle.

‘Spice that tastes like licorice’ NYT Oct. 23 Mini Crossword hints and answer

• Hint 1: The answer is often used as a natural remedy for indigestion, bloating, and gas. It’s also known to have antimicrobial properties.
• Hint 2: The five-letter solution is a culinary spice often used in baking and for flavoring liqueurs.
• Hint 3: It starts with the letter “A.”
• Hint 4: The solution is an essential oil popular in aromatherapy for its soothing properties.

Let’s jump in and reveal the answer.

The answer to one across in the Oct. 23 New York Times Mini Crossword is “ANISE.” The spice Anise is often used in cooking and baking, and its flavor is similar to that of licorice, making it the perfect answer for the clue.

‘Spice that tastes like licorice’ NYT Mini Crossword difficulty rating

Even though I am not a big fan of consuming spicy food, the licorice part of the clue puzzled me, so I had to solve the problem by using the crossword to reveal the answer. But if you know about spices or consume any anise-flavored drinks, the answer should have been obvious. So, I’d give it a four out of five for difficulty. 

NYT Mini Crossword (Oct. 23) answers

Across

• 1A Spice that tastes like licorice — ANISE
• 6A Hot drink popular in the fall — CIDER
• 7A Bendy body parts — KNEES
• 8A Bird that, surprisingly, doesn’t have any blue pigments in its feathers — JAY
• 9A Apple pie ___ mode — ALA

Down

• 1D Cutesy cry of frustration — ACK
• 2D “Teenage Mutant ___ Turtles” — NINJA
• 3D Best possible — IDEAL
• 4D “Peace!” — SEE YA
• 5D Hospital areas in medical dramas, for short — ERS

How to play other word games like the NYT Mini Crossword

If the NYT Mini Crossword word games are making you work, try out the LA Times and Washington Post puzzles. However, if you’re looking for something easier, you can play Strands and Spelling Bee to increase your vocabulary.