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
"Stop, Your Honor!"
Mont Blanc's mountain range
"Hips Don't Lie" singer
Professor's helpers, for short
Cotton, linen and satin
Words before sharing a funny joke
Woman who's told "You don't have to put on the red light," in a hit by the Police
Down
The "I" of T.G.I.F.
"NOW I understand!"
Make percussion noises with one's mouth
Capital of Indonesia
Shortening in speech, as from "captain" to "cap'n"
E.M.T.'s skill
They might ask you to remove your shoes, for short
Christmas tree variety
Many moons ___
Channel whose initials are hidden from left to right in the word CHANNEL
Get a glimpse of
Looking for quick crosswords to sharpen your mind? Check out our NYT Mini Crossword hub for daily grids, hints, and answers.
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.