The New York Times Mini Crossword may be small, but it’s designed to catch you off guard.
Unlike its full-sized cousin, the Mini forces you to think quickly. It packs a sharp mental workout into a compact 5x5 grid, ideal for short breaks.
A tiny puzzle doesn't mean it’s always easy.
When you’re stuck on a clue, our daily hints and answers will help keep the momentum going.
Where to Play
You can play the Mini Crossword on the New York Times website, the NYT Games app, or within the Play tab of the main News app.
Past puzzles are available to Games and All Access subscribers.
When the Puzzle Drops
How It Works
Fill the grid by solving Across and Down clues. You’ll know you’ve solved it correctly when music plays and a congratulatory message appears.
There’s no streak feature like Wordle, but you can track your solve time and compete with friends on the Mini leaderboard.
Game Features and Shortcuts
Across
Place with Bunsen burners and beakers, in brief
Product that can be sampled with a spray on the wrist
Visibly muscular
Groceries carrier
Self-indulgent "journey"
Down
TikTok or Tinder
Sports org. that now includes schools from Texas and California, strangely enough
Hobbyists with cameras, informally
Big name in exercise bikes
Lawyers' org.
"Solve for x" subject
Temporary fix, so to speak
Pres. Lincoln
"Show me the ___" (punny request at an art museum)
President pro ___
Road trip assistance, for short
AOL alternative
Things that phone users might accidentally tap on webpages
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.