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
"Jersey Shore" channel
"___ Knows" (rhyming ad slogan)
Second-best-selling female musician of all time, behind Taylor Swift
Backfiring blunder, in modern lingo
Lengthy sheet for a complicated board game, perhaps
Subtle "Yes"
Down
In which high schoolers might role-play as ambassadors
This clue number
Paid via app, perhaps
Coat of paint
Falls in winter, say
Married title
___ Arbor, Mich.
Whiskey grain
Dreaded workday: Abbr.
Woman in Progressive ads
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.