Quick Answer
Clue: “Political staffers”
Answer: AIDES
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 7-Across
The New York Times crossword clue “Political staffers” is answered with AIDES, the standard term for assistants who work for politicians and government officials.
Why AIDES Is the Right NYT Answer
- Crossword resources for the January 30, 2026 NYT Mini explicitly list AIDES as the 5-letter solution for “Political staffers.”
- Dictionaries and job-profile sources define an aide as an assistant to an important person, especially a political leader, which matches the clue exactly.
Answer databases also note that “Political staffers” has appeared before in NYT with AIDES as the fill, reinforcing it as the canonical choice.
What AIDES Means in Plain English
- Aides are assistants who support politicians or senior officials with tasks like research, scheduling, speechwriting, communications, and policy prep.
- They help manage daily operations, coordinate with other offices, and keep their boss informed on key issues.
- In everyday language, “the senator’s aides” or “White House aides” refers to the inner circle of staffers around a political figure.
Crossword-Specific Help for AIDES
- In a grid, AIDES appears as A I D E S; with a few crossings you might see A_DE_, AI_ES, or _IDES, which fit neatly once you read “Political staffers.”
- AIDES is extremely common crossword fill, not just for politics but also for clues like “Hospital staffers,” “White House staffers,” or “Assistants.”
- Because it is short, vowel-rich, and semantically broad, AIDES is a “workhorse” entry you’ll see again and again in NYT and other puzzles.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For 5-letter staffer clues like “Political staffers,” “Senator’s staff,” “White House staffers,” “Governor’s helpers,” try AIDES first.
- Watch for singular vs plural: “Political staffer” might be AIDE (4), while “Political staffers” almost always points to AIDES (5).
If crossings give A_DE_ or _IDES in a politics or government context, AIDES is usually the best fit.
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 |
