If you’re staring blankly at the word “coniferous” wondering what it means, you’re probably not alone. It’s a classic NYT Mini-clue that’s likely to surprise a lot of people, and I’ve got the full solution with hints if needed.

Now that I've given my clues, I'm going to climb down from the tallest tree and reveal the answer for today.

You are looking for "YEWS" as the answer to six words in your daily NYT Mini Crossword grid.

Yew is a type of conifer with red berries (a la the clue). The answer, of course, begins with “Y” and it rhymes with “News”—easy. A “W” with a “Y” in a word is pretty unusual, and if you know what a homophone is, you know that “Use” is a homophone for “Yews.”