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
Small woodwind in a military band
Made cow sounds
Made cat sounds
With 1-Down, annual activity with a draft
Someone who wasn't named a Pro Bowler, but should have been
Hot sauce that comes in tiny bottles
Watchful of imminent danger
Multi-part sports bets
Down
See 7-Across
Its capital is Des Moines
Extra charges for ticket purchases
Swirl of water
Row of options on a computer screen
Tomorrow, in Spanish
Camera setting that adjusts the size of the aperture
"... from ___ to shining ___"
Shed tears
Periods after fourth quarters, in brief
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.