Quick Answer
Clue: “Desirable place to sit on a hot day”
Answer: SHADE
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 3-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Desirable place to sit on a hot day” is answered with SHADE, filling all five squares of 3-Down.
Why SHADE Is the Right NYT Answer
- On a hot day, a shady spot is exactly where most people prefer to sit to avoid direct sun and heat, matching the clue’s everyday logic. Crossword helper sites for the January 28, 2026 NYT Mini explicitly give SHADE as the 5-letter solution to this clue.
- Other possible answers like TREE or PORCH either have the wrong length or are more specific, while SHADE captures the general “desirable place” concept the clue is aiming at.
What SHADE Means in Plain English
- Shade is an area that is darker and cooler because something blocks direct sunlight, such as a tree, wall, umbrella, or awning. In simple terms, if you “sit in the shade,” you are sitting out of the direct sun where it feels less hot.
- Because shade provides shelter from heat and glare, it’s naturally associated with comfort on hot days in both everyday speech and crosswords.
Crossword-Specific Help for SHADE
- In the grid, SHADE appears as S H A D E; with crossings from other entries you might first see patterns like S_AD_, SH_DE, or _HADE, which make SHADE easy to spot once you read the clue.
- Answer databases show SHADE appearing under clues like “Tree’s gift on a hot day,” “Cooling spot,” and “Place to sit when it’s 100°,” all pointing to the same idea.
- In this Mini, SHADE crosses theme-adjacent answers like OUIJA, UNCAP, and others, so once you fix the S and E from across entries, the rest of SHADE usually falls into place.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For clues about where to sit/stand on a hot day—“Cool place to sit,” “Tree’s attraction in summer,” “Sun-avoiding spot”—think of SHADE first for a 5-letter answer.
- Watch for wording like “out of the sun,” “away from the sun,” or “under a tree,” which almost always points toward SHADE.
Use crossings: if you see S_AD_ or _HADE in a climate or weather context, SHADE is very likely correct.
More NYT Mini Crossword Answers for January 28, 2026
| Clue | Answer | |
| 1A | Remove from a position of power | View Answer |
| 5A | Not cool | View Answer |
| 7A | “Fine, see if ___!” | View Answer |
| 8A | Kind of bored | View Answer |
| 9A | Primatologists’ subjects: | View Answer |
| 1D | Kind of board | View Answer |
| 2D | Prepare to use, as a pen | View Answer |
| 3D | Desirable place to sit on a hot day | View Answer |
| 4D | Pair on a bicycle | View Answer |
| 6D | __ XING (street sign) | View Answer |
