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
Culinary institute instructor
The answer is CHEF
"Earth to [name]? You there?!"
The answer is HELLO
How you shouldn't read the cue words on a teleprompter
The answer is ALOUD
___-Bismol (antacid brand)
The answer is PEPTO
Mean-mugging look
The answer is SNEER
Down
Dries out, as lips
The answer is CHAPS
___ of Troy
The answer is HELEN
Say "I dos" without the ado?
The answer is ELOPE
Instrument that's held horizontally while playing it
The answer is FLUTE
Smell from a dumpster
The answer is ODOR
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.
