Crossword clue

“Thorny tree that's a favorite of giraffes”

This clue appeared as 5-Down in the NYT Mini Crossword on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The answer has 6 letters.

Answer · 6 lettersFirst appearance
ACACIA
Letters6
Starts withA
Ends withA
Vowels4

Where this clue has appeared

NYT Mini
Jul 18, 20266 letters→

About this clue

The clue “Thorny tree that's a favorite of giraffes” ran in the NYT Mini Crossword on July 18, 2026 as 5-Down. Its answer is a 6-letter word that starts with A and ends with A, with 4 vowels, which often points to a phrase, a name or a borrowed word.

See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Mini Crossword page for July 18, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.

More clues from this puzzle

1A24 cans of beer4 letters5A⬆ or ⬇5 letters6ACold spike?6 letters7ADance steps after "Right foot, let's stomp! Left foot, let's stomp!"7 letters8ACybersecurity menace6 letters9AColumbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, etc.5 letters10A"Cool!"4 letters1DA sport, or an insect7 letters

FAQ

What is the answer to the “Thorny tree that's a favorite of giraffes” clue?+

The answer is ACACIA (6 letters), from the NYT Mini Crossword of July 18, 2026.

Where has this clue appeared?+

We have seen it 1 time in the NYT Mini.

How do I find other NYT Mini answers?+

Open the full list of answers for July 18, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Mini Crossword hub.