Quick Answer
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Crossword clue: “Flying ___ (kind of bat, despite its name)”
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Answer: FOX – 3 letters
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Clue number and direction: 1 Across
The New York Times crossword clue “Flying ___ (kind of bat, despite its name)” is answered with FOX in 3 letters. In the grid, it appears as the pattern FOX straight across.
Why FOX Is the Right NYT Answer
- A “flying fox” is the common name for a large fruit bat, so the blank in “Flying ___” must be FOX. The clue’s parenthetical “(kind of bat, despite its name)” nudges you to realize it’s an animal called a fox that is actually a bat.
- The February 11, 2026 NYT Mini lists 1‑Across as “Flying ___ (kind of bat, despite its name)” with the official answer FOX. All crossings from the Downs (FINES, OKAPI, XEROX, ACCT, SHH) confirm the F‑O‑X pattern.
What FOX Means in Plain English
- A fox is usually known as a clever, doglike wild animal, but in “flying fox” it refers to a fruit bat with a foxlike face. So the joke in the clue is that, “despite its name,” this “fox” is actually a kind of bat.
- In plain English, a flying fox is just a big bat that eats fruit and nectar and looks a bit like a fox around the head. That everyday natural‑world fact is exactly what the clue is pointing at.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
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Watch for “despite its name” or “actually a ___” in clues; they often hint that an animal or thing is misnamed, pointing to trivia like flying fox bats.
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Use letter count: a 3‑letter blank after “Flying ___” strongly favors FOX over longer words.
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Lean on crossings: with F from FINES, O from OKAPI, and X from XEROX in this Mini, FOX locks in quickly.
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Remember partial phrases: once you’ve seen FLYING FOX once, you’re very likely to see it again in future Minis or other crosswords.
Keeping a mental list of short animal names (FOX, EEL, EMU, APE, GNU) pays off for Minis.
How FOX Fits the Grid
For 1‑Across on February 11, 2026, there are exactly 3 squares, so FOX drops in perfectly. In pattern form, it’s:
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Pattern in grid:
FOX(F‑O‑X)
Crossings reinforce it:
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1‑Down FINES gives F.
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2‑Down OKAPI gives O.
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3‑Down XEROX gives X.
That clean cross‑check is standard NYT Mini construction and confirms FOX is correct.
Other Ways FOX Might Be Clued
FOX is a very common short entry, so you may also see it clued as:
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“Sly animal of folklore”
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“Network with the show ‘The Simpsons’”
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“Outsmart, as an opponent” (“to fox” = to confuse)
All of these point to the same everyday word FOX, which makes it a frequent NYT and Mini entry.
Complete February 11, 2026 NYT Mini Answers Today (Across & Down clues and answers)
Here are the key answers from the February 11, 2026 NYT Mini to help you complete the full grid.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Flying ___ (kind of bat, despite its name) | FOX | 3 |
| Furniture retailer known for its sprawling stores | IKEA | 4 |
| Drug cops, informally | NARCS | 5 |
| Geological time period spanning several ages | EPOCH | 5 |
| Like F, in the alphabet | SIXTH | 5 |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Penalties for parking violations | FINES | 5 |
| African mammal whose striped legs resemble a zebra's | OKAPI | 5 |
| Make a copy of | XEROX | 5 |
| Bank customer's holding: Abbr. | ACCT | 4 |
| “Quiet, you!” | SHH | 3 |
