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
Fan base of a major K-pop supergroup
The answer is BTSARMY
The world's fastest-growing religion, with nearly 350 million new observers in the past decade
The answer is ISLAM
Like a thick winter jacket, say
The answer is PUFFY
Ticketmaster purchases
The answer is SEATS
Down
Class for dummies?
The answer is CPR
Tool in a grooming kit
The answer is COMB
Helpful nuggets from experts
The answer is PROTIPS
Publish again, as a magazine edition
The answer is REISSUE
Fuzzy boot brand
The answer is UGG
Skyward gust of air
The answer is UPDRAFT
Record of the Year and Best New Artist
The answer is GRAMMYS
Millennials' cohort, informally
The answer is GENY
Metal sought by a miner
The answer is ORE
T.S.A. ___Check
The answer is PRE
Me, in Marseilles
The answer is MOI
"The Da Vinci Code" author Brown
The answer is DAN
___ Romeo (sporty Italian car)
The answer is ALFA
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.
- Tomorrow's NYT Mini Crossword: Clues and answers
- Yesterday's NYT Mini Crossword: Clues and answers
- Today's NYT Strands: Hints and answers
- Today's NYT Connections: Hints and answers
- Today's NYT Wordle: Hints and answers
- Today's NYT Spelling Bee: Hints and answers
- Try another mind-bending puzzle on our Quizzes page