Quick Answer
Clue: “Decreased in size, as the moon”
Answer: WANED
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number & direction: 4-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Decreased in size, as the moon” is answered with WANED.
Why “WANED” Is the Right NYT Answer
- When the visible portion of the moon gets smaller after a full moon, it is said to have waned—the opposite of “waxed,” which describes its growth phase.
- NYT Mini solutions and helper sites for the January 24, 2026 puzzle all confirm WANED as the 5-letter 4-Down entry for this clue.
What “WANED” Means in Plain English
- Waned means “decreased,” “diminished,” or “declined,” and in astronomy it specifically refers to the moon appearing to shrink in its lit portion.
- The word is also used more generally, as in “interest waned” or “enthusiasm waned,” but here the clue explicitly ties it to the moon.
Crossword-Specific Help and Patterns
- In the grid, WANED appears as W A N E D, so you might see patterns like WANE_ or _ANED before all crossings are filled.
- WANED is a common crossword answer, often paired with clues like “Diminished,” “Grew smaller,” or “Opposite of waxed, as the moon.”
- For this Mini, crossings from ONEMAN, BEDTIME, OLDHEAD, and across entries such as PLOW, SAUNA, and MADMEN confirm each letter of WANED at 4-Down.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- If a clue mentions the moon “decreasing” or “shrinking,” think in the wax/wane pair: waxed for increasing, waned for decreasing.
For 5-letter patterns related to decline especially with a W at the start and an ED ending WANED should be one of your first guesses.
