Quick Answer
Clue: “Champagne glass”
Answer: FLUTE
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 4-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Champagne glass” is answered with FLUTE, which fills all five squares of a down entry in that day’s Mini grid.
Why FLUTE Is the Right NYT Answer
- A tall, narrow glass specifically designed for serving champagne is commonly called a champagne flute, so FLUTE is the direct, dictionary-style answer to the clue.
- NYT Mini answer lists and helper sites all confirm that the January 23, 2026 Mini uses FLUTE as the 5-letter solution for this clue.
- Other drinkware words like “glass,” “coupe,” or “stem” either have the wrong length or do not uniquely mean “Champagne glass,” making FLUTE the only precise and unambiguous fit.
What FLUTE Means in Plain English
- In this context, flute means a slender, stemmed glass with a tall, narrow bowl, used for serving sparkling wines like champagne.
- The shape helps preserve bubbles and showcase the rising streams of carbonation, which is why it is the classic champagne vessel.
- Outside drinkware, flute can also mean a musical instrument or a groove in architecture, but the champagne clue clearly targets the glassware meaning.
Crossword-Specific Help for FLUTE
- In the NYT Mini grid, FLUTE appears as F L U T E in a down slot, and with a few crossings filled you might see patterns like F_UTE, FL_TE, or _LUTE that quickly point to FLUTE.
- For the January 23, 2026 puzzle, this entry crosses thematic across answers like GRAFT, REPLY, AMPUP, NOLTE, and DWEEB plus nearby downs like GRAND, REMOW, APPLE, and TYPEB, which help confirm each letter.
- FLUTE is a very common answer across many outlets (NYT, Newsday, WSJ, Daily Commuter, etc.) whenever setters need a 5-letter solution for “Champagne glass.” Recognizing it as stock fill will speed up future solves.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- When you see “Champagne glass,” “Sparkling wine glass,” or “Stem for bubbly” in a 5-letter slot, FLUTE should be your first candidate.
- Use crossings to break ties: once you have F or L in place plus a champagne-related clue, it becomes very hard for any other answer to fit as cleanly as FLUTE.
Keep in mind that FLUTE can also be clued via music or architecture, so be sure to read the full clue context; drink-related wording nearly always points to the glass.
