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
- Weekdays + Saturdays: Available at 10 p.m. EST the night before.
- Sundays: Drops earlier at 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.
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
- Timer: See how quickly you can complete the puzzle.
- Reveal and Check tools: If you’re stuck, reveal a letter, word, or check your answers.
- Keyboard shortcuts: Use arrow keys, spacebar, tab, and more (on desktop).
- Pen and Pencil Mode: Toggle between confident solves and tentative guesses.
Across
Amorphous shape in a lava lamp
The answer is BLOB
"Wonderful performance!"
The answer is BRAVO
Social media currency
The answer is LIKES
Cars that move around a miniature map
The answer is UBERS
Partner of relaxation
The answer is REST
Down
Offer money corruptly
The answer is BRIBE
Canada has an estimated 2 million of them, the most of any country in the world
The answer is LAKES
In-your-face
The answer is OVERT
Work overseer
The answer is BOSS
Memory of a hectic day, perhaps
The answer is BLUR
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.