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
Friendly and pleasant
Irritatingly self-important
Cheerleaders' accessories
Radio exposure for a song
___ of two evils
Pancake mix ingredient
Down
Challenge to a court ruling
Dodgers slugger Betts
Deeply involve oneself (in)
Smartphone download
Illegal copy
Kind of support for the lower back
English class assignment
Barely ___ out a living
"We haven't decided yet," on schedules
French soccer club that won its first Champions League title in 2025, for short
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.