Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s a long one today. Read on for all the answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Coffee choice before bed
Answer: DECAF

6A clue: Recurring bug?
Answer: CICADA

7A clue: California’s most valuable crop, just barely edging out grapes
Answer: ALMONDS

8A clue: Fist pound
Answer: DAP

9A clue: Back of a soccer goal
Answer: NET

10A clue: Carefully thought (over)
Answer: MULLED

12A clue: Brain sparks
Answer: IDEAS

13A clue: Something that might end after “Pencils down!”
Answer: TEST

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Indentations at the end of a smile
Answer: DIMPLES

2D clue: Green: Prefix
Answer: ECO

3D clue: Film festival with the Palme d’Or
Answer: CANNES

4D clue: No ___ sugar (product claim)
Answer: ADDED

5D clue: Speedy
Answer: FAST

6D clue: Anthropic’s A.I. assistant
Answer: CLAUDE

7D clue: Own up to
Answer: ADMIT

11D clue: Back muscle, for short
Answer: LAT

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CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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