What's the deal?

Published by Naitik Mehta · March 17, 2026

Stuck on the clue What's the deal? from the New York Times Mini for March 17, 2026? We have the correct 5-letter answer, including the definition, alternative hints, as well as other answers from the same crossword. Ready to learn more about this clue?

Clue

What's the deal? (5)

Answer

The answer to What's the deal? is Cards On The Table (5 letters).

What does What's the deal? mean?

We break down each word in the clue and show its dictionary definitions below.

deal

noun

•an agreement or arrangement

•a situation or set of circumstances

Where did this clue appear?

This clue appeared as 1-down in the New York Times Mini on March 17, 2026, by Joel Fagliano. See all answers for this puzzle.

NYT Mini — Mar 17, 2026

Get help on the whole puzzle

What does Cards On The Table mean?

idiom

•to be completely honest and open about something; to reveal all relevant information without holding anything back

How to use Cards On The Table in a sentence

Here are 3 examples of how to use the word Cards On The Table.

•“Okay, cards on the table - what's the deal with you avoiding my calls all week?”

•“Let me put my cards on the table: I think this merger is a mistake and will hurt both companies.”

•“The negotiation stalled until both sides agreed to put their cards on the table and reveal their true budget constraints.”

What are other crossword clues for Cards On The Table?

“Asks to show ID” (5)

“Pokémon enthusiast's collection” (5)

“Parts of a hand” (5)

Learn about related clues

All clues from the New York Times Mini, Mar 17, 2026 crossword

The New York Times Mini for March 17, 2026 was published by Joel Fagliano and has 10 clues. Curious about all the answers from this crossword puzzle? View all answers here.

Across

1AOne drawing X's and O's (5)6ACompany whose market cap (~$4 trillion) exceeds the G.D.P. of most countries (5)7A"Chill!" (5)8ADo some rhythmic tapping (4)9ABack talk (4)

Down

1DWhat's the deal? (5)2D"The Phantom of the ___" (5)3DExcellent grade (5)4DSandpipers dig for them in the sand (5)5DEvil spell (3)

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Frequently asked questions about What's the deal?

What is the answer to What's the deal??: The answer is Cards On The Table (5 letters).
Where did this clue appear?: This clue was last seen in the New York Times Mini on March 17, 2026.
How many letters does the answer to What's the deal? have?: The answer has 5 letters: Cards On The Table.

Author

Naitik Mehta

Co-founder

Naitik is a gaming enthusiast who loves solving daily word games and enjoys the friendly competition from time to time. He is the co-founder of Crossword Chef and enjoys thinking about how to make crossword solving more fun for everyone around the world.