Quick Answer
Clue: “With 7-Across, Ben & Jerry’s flavor named for a rock legend”
Answer: CHERRY
Answer length: 6 letters
Clue number & direction: 5-Across in the NYT Mini Crossword (Jan 22, 2026)
The New York Times crossword clue “With 7-Across, Ben & Jerry’s flavor named for a rock legend” is answered with CHERRY.
Why “CHERRY” Is the Right NYT Answer
- Ben & Jerry’s famous rock-legend flavor is “Cherry Garcia,” named after Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, so the first word in the pair must be CHERRY.
- The clue splits the flavor across two entries: 5-Across = CHERRY (6 letters), 7-Across = GARCIA, which together exactly form the product name used in the real-world ice cream.
What “CHERRY” Means in Plain English
- Cherry is a small, round, usually red fruit with a pit, commonly used in desserts, drinks, and of course, ice cream.
- In this crossword context, CHERRY is simply the flavor component of the punny ice cream name honoring Jerry Garcia.
Crossword-Specific Help and Patterns
- Letter pattern: CHERRY appears in the grid as C H E R R Y, so if you already had C H E R _ _, the repeated R is your big hint.
- CHERRY is not heavy “crosswordese” but shows up often in theme entries related to flavors, fruits, or the full phrase CHERRY GARCIA in NYT and other crosswords.
- Crossings for 5-Across in this Mini (downs like WRIST and ORCAS nearby in the grid) help lock in letters like the W/R cluster pattern and the terminal Y.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- When a clue says “With 7-Across” (or another number), expect a multi-part answer where each entry is a real word, often forming a brand, phrase, or name together.
For food-brand clues tied to celebrities or musicians (e.g., “flavor honoring a jam band legend”), think of punny, real-world products like CHERRY GARCIA and then split them across the referenced entries.
