Quick Answer
Clue: “Guitar bars”
Answer: FRETS
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 5-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Guitar bars” is answered with FRETS, referring to the thin metal bars across a guitar’s neck.
Why FRETS Is the Right NYT Answer
- Frets are literally metal bars set across the guitar’s fretboard, so “guitar bars” is a neat descriptive clue rather than wordplay.
- NYT Mini answer roundups and crossword-helper sites all confirm FRETS as the 5-letter solution for this clue in the January 29, 2026 puzzle.
- Other guitar-related “bars” like capos can appear in puzzles, but CAPOS is used with more specific clues (e.g., “Guitar neck clamps”), whereas “Guitar bars” is the standard clue for FRETS.
What FRETS Means in Plain English
- Frets are the thin metal strips that run across the fretboard (neck) of many stringed instruments, including guitars.
- When a player presses a string down just behind a fret, it shortens the vibrating length of the string and produces a specific note.
- So in simple terms, frets are the raised bars on the neck that help guitarists play in tune and move precisely between notes.
Crossword-Specific Help for FRETS
- In the grid, FRETS appears as F R E T S; with crossings you might initially see F_ET_, FR_TS, or _RETS, which all quickly resolve to FRETS in an instrument context.
- Crossword clue archives show FRETS as a frequent answer to “Guitar bars,” “Guitar neck lines,” “Guitar features,” and “Guitar parts with bars,” making it a staple music entry.
- Because the letters are common and the concept is basic music vocabulary, FRETS is a friendly fill NYT editors like for Minis and themed grids.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For 5-letter guitar-part clues like “Guitar bars,” “Guitar neck markers,” “Guitar features with metal strips,” think FRETS first.
- Watch for broader instrument clues such as “Neck bars” or “Fingerboard strips” when the answer length is 5; these also often point to FRETS.
Be careful not to confuse FRETS with CAPOS capos clamp across all the strings, while frets are the built-in metal bars along the neck.
More NYT Mini Crossword Answers for January 29, 2026
| Clue | Answer | |
| 1A | Employees, collectively | View Answer |
| 6A | The “L” of TTYL | View Answer |
| 7A | Slowly lessen, as political support | View Answer |
| 8A | Dunkin’ offering | View Answer |
| 9A | Tricky things to navigate with a stroller | View Answer |
| 1D | Toys that go on the decline in winter? | View Answer |
| 2D | Set of fortunetelling cards | View Answer |
| 3D | Make amends | View Answer |
| 4D | Out of patience | View Answer |
| 5D | Guitar bars | View Answer |
