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
Appropriate word that can precede 7-/8-Across and 3-/10-Down
The answer is HALF
One of the rats in "Ratatouille"
The answer is EMILE
Done for laughs
The answer is INFUN
Richard of "Pretty Woman"
The answer is GERE
Down
Prefix that means 1-Across
The answer is HEMI
In the midst of
The answer is AMONG
Super Bowl that featured a 28-3 comeback win by the Patriots
The answer is LI
Baker's powder
The answer is FLOUR
Dated feminine suffix
The answer is ENNE
Missouri's postal abbreviation
The answer is MO
Light switch position
The answer is ON
Iron, on the periodic table
The answer is FE
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.