Quick Answer
Clue: “Prepare to use, as a pen”
Answer: UNCAP
Answer length: 5 letters
Clue number and direction: 2-Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Prepare to use, as a pen” is answered with UNCAP, filling all five squares of 2-Down.
Why UNCAP Is the Right NYT Answer
- To uncap a pen is literally to remove its cap so it can write, which matches the instruction “Prepare to use, as a pen” exactly.
- Crossword-solvers’ sites and NYT Mini answer pages explicitly list UNCAP as the 5-letter solution for this clue in the January 28, 2026 puzzle.
- Other verbs like OPEN or UNSNAP are either the wrong length or less precise for pens in crossword convention, so UNCAP is the clean, idiomatic fit.
What UNCAP Means in Plain English
- Uncap means to remove the cap or cover from something, such as a pen, bottle, or container. In everyday use, “uncap a pen” is the standard phrase for taking the lid off so you can start writing.
- The word also appears figuratively (for example, “uncap spending”), but in this clue it’s clearly physical and tied to a capped writing instrument.
Crossword-Specific Help for UNCAP
- In the grid, UNCAP appears as U N C A P; with crossings you might first see patterns like U_CAP, UN_AP, or _NCAP, which make UNCAP obvious next to a pen-related clue.
- Reference sites show UNCAP used repeatedly for similar clues: “Open, as a pen,” “Get ready, as a pen,” and “Prepare for use, as a marker.”
- Within this NYT Mini, UNCAP crosses themey across answers like OUST, UNHIP, ICARE, JADED, and APES, so once a couple of letters drop in, the rest follow easily.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- For 5-letter clues like “Open, as a pen,” “Get ready, as a pen,” “Prepare for use, as a marker,” UNCAP should be your first guess.
- Watch for U_NAP / _NCAP patterns; with any office or stationery context in the clue, UNCAP almost always fits.
Remember that shorter alternatives like OPEN (4) are common too, so always match the word length and check crossings.
More NYT Mini Crossword Answers for January 28, 2026
| Clue | Answer | |
| 1A | Remove from a position of power | View Answer |
| 5A | Not cool | View Answer |
| 7A | “Fine, see if ___!” | View Answer |
| 8A | Kind of bored | View Answer |
| 9A | Primatologists’ subjects: | View Answer |
| 1D | Kind of board | View Answer |
| 2D | Prepare to use, as a pen | View Answer |
| 3D | Desirable place to sit on a hot day | View Answer |
| 4D | Pair on a bicycle | View Answer |
| 6D | __ XING (street sign) | View Answer |
