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
Coffee, informally ... or a big coffee-producing island
The answer is JAVA
Figure skating jump
The answer is AXEL
Wide-ranging music playlists
The answer is MIXES
On deck
The answer is NEXT
Down Under welcome
The answer is GDAY
Down
Print issue?
The answer is JAM
Cutting down
The answer is AXING
Annoyed
The answer is VEXED
Virtual assistant whose name starts with the same letter as its parent company
The answer is ALEXA
Wilbur's home in "Charlotte's Web"
The answer is STY
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.