Quick Answer
Clue: “Sound at the dog park”
Answer: ARF
Length: 3 letters
Clue number and direction: 9-Across
The New York Times crossword clue “Sound at the dog park” is answered with “ARF”, a 3-letter entry for 9-Across.
Why “ARF” Is the Right NYT Answer
- The clue points to a cartoon-style dog bark, and ARF is a classic onomatopoeic dog sound in crosswords. The Mini for February 4, 2026 specifically lists ARF as the answer to “Sound at the dog park,” confirming the match.
- The grid wants a 3-letter answer at 9-Across, and ARF fits cleanly as A R F, often showing up with patterns like A_F or _RF once you’ve filled a couple of crossings. Other dog sounds like WOOF, BARK, or YELP are longer, so they can’t fit this slot.
What “ARF” Means in Plain English
- Arf is just a written representation of a short, sharp dog bark, often used in comics or playful writing. It’s not formal vocabulary; it’s more like “woof” or “yip” in sound-effect form.
- For crossword solvers, ARF is one of a small stable of standard dog-noise answers (along with WOOF, YAP, YELP, GRR, etc.), so it’s worth remembering for short three-letter slots.
Crossword-Specific Help for 9-Across
Length: 3 letters → strongly suggests ARF or YAP, but the clue leans toward a bark, not a yap.
As you fill in the downs, you’ll likely see patterns like:
A R _ → pushes you toward ARF.
_ R F → also strongly signals ARF.
NYT and helper sites explicitly confirm ARF as the current NYT Mini answer for this clue, so crossings should all support those three letters. ARF is a recurring entry in many major crosswords whenever the clue is “dog sound,” “kennel noise,” or “sound at the dog park.”
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
For dog-sound clues, always pair meaning + length:
3 letters: ARF, YAP, GRR.
4 letters: WOOF, BARK, YELP.
Clues like “Sound at the dog park,” “Dog sound,” or “Kennel noise” often use ARF when the slot is three letters and the tone is light or cartoonish. If your crosses give you A_F, lock in ARF; if you see Y_P with a clue suggesting small or yappy dogs, then YAP might be right instead.
