Quick Answer
Clue: “Middle of a drum kit, typically”
Answer: SNARE
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 6-Across
The New York Times crossword clue “Middle of a drum kit, typically” is answered with SNARE, referring to the snare drum usually positioned at the physical and musical center of a standard kit.
Why SNARE Is the Right NYT Answer
- Most standard drum setups place the snare drum directly in front of the drummer, between the hi-hat and the kick, functionally making it the “middle” of the kit.
- Crossword answer sites for the January 30, 2026 NYT Mini clearly list SNARE as the 5-letter solution to this clue, with no alternative fills.
- Since the snare is the primary backbeat drum and visually central in many kit layouts, it’s a natural choice for a clue describing the “middle” of the kit.
What SNARE Means in Plain English
- A snare drum is a shallow drum with tight heads and metal wires (“snares”) stretched across the bottom head, giving it a crisp, sharp sound.
- It provides the main “crack” or backbeat in rock, pop, jazz, and many other styles, making it one of the most important pieces of the drum set.
- In casual terms, when people talk about “the snare,” they mean the main drum that sits right in front of the drummer and cuts through the mix.
Crossword-Specific Help for SNARE
- In the grid, SNARE appears as S N A R E; crossings can give patterns like S_ARE, SN_RE, or _NARE, all of which quickly point to SNARE when the clue mentions drums or kits.
- Crossword archives show SNARE often clued as “Drum in a kit,” “Backbeat drum,” “Kit drum with wires,” or, as here, something central in a drum setup.
- Because SNARE is short, consonant-heavy, and a basic music term, it’s a frequent answer in NYT and other mainstream crosswords.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For 5-letter drum clues like “Backbeat drum,” “Central drum in a kit,” “Drum with wires,” “Rock beat drum,” think SNARE first.
- When you see “kit” in a music clue and have S_ARE or SNA_E, SNARE is almost always correct.
Don’t confuse SNARE with TOMS or KICKS: toms are the tuned drums around the kit, and the kick is the bass drum; only the snare has the wire snares and sits at the ergonomic center.
More NYT Mini Crossword Answers for January 30, 2026
| Clue | Answer | |
| 1A | “Top Gear” | View Answer |
| 6A | Announcement that causes groans among travelers | View Answer |
| 7A | Middle of a drum kit, typically | View Answer |
| 8A | Political staffers | View Answer |
| 9A | Bottom-line figure | View Answer |
| 1D | French-speaking nation in West Africa | View Answer |
| 2D | Sharp part of a sword | View Answer |
| 3D | This text mark: ^ | View Answer |
| 4D | Left-leaning political org. | View Answer |
| 5D | “Right you are!” | View Answer |
