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
Gibbon or gorilla
Bird whose name is an excellent starting guess in Wordle, according to WordleBot
Cry from a judge
Family nickname that would make a terrible starting guess in Wordle
"Hooray!"
Down
Widespread display
Lakshmi who was a longtime host of "Top Chef"
"Don't let perfect be the ___ of good" (aphorism)
URL ending
Historical period
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.