Quick Answer
Clue: “Make amends”
Answer: ATONE
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 3-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Make amends” is answered with ATONE, filling all five squares of 3-Down.
Why ATONE Is the Right NYT Answer
- Crossword sources consistently give ATONE as the primary 5-letter answer to “Make amends,” including multiple NYT Mini instances.
- Dictionaries and thesauruses explicitly define “atone” as “to make amends” or “to provide reparation or compensation for something wrong.”
- For the January 29, 2026 NYT Mini specifically, recap pages list 3-Down as “Make amends ATONE,” confirming it as the intended fill.
What ATONE Means in Plain English
- To atone means to make up for something wrong, usually by apologizing, seeking forgiveness, or taking corrective action.
- Common phrases include “atone for your sins” or “atone for past mistakes,” where someone tries to repair harm they’vecaused.
- In simpler terms, if you atone, you are trying to set things right after doing something you regret.
Crossword-Specific Help for ATONE
- In grids, ATONE appears as A T O N E; crossings often give patterns like A_O_E or _TONE, which quickly point to ATONE when the clue mentions “make amends,” “make up for,” or “atone for sins.”
- It is classic, high-frequency fill in NYT and other crosswords, often clued as “Make amends (for),” “Do penance,” “Make up (for a misdeed),” or “Seek forgiveness.”
- Because it is such standard crossword vocabulary, ATONE should be near the top of your mental list whenever you see a 5-letter “Make amends” clue.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For 5-letter clues like “Make amends,” “Make amends for,” “Expiate,” “Do penance,” “Make up for one’s sins,” ATONE is your best first guess.
- Watch for “for” in parentheses “Make amends (for)” is a very common way to point specifically at ATONE.
If crosses give A-ONE or _TONE and the clue is about guilt, apology, or repair, ATONE nearly always fits.
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 |
