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
National park in the Canadian Rockies
The answer is BANFF
Elevator choice
The answer is FLOOR
Means of transport in Seattle, San Francisco and New York
The answer is FERRY
Unlikely chef in a 2007 Pixar film
The answer is RAT
"Honor ___ father ..."
The answer is THY
Down
Closest pal, informally
The answer is BFF
Text notification, e.g.
The answer is ALERT
Jones who sang "Come Away With Me"
The answer is NORAH
Number of thieves faced by Ali Baba
The answer is FORTY
Loose item at the bottom of a fast-food bag, perhaps
The answer is FRY
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.