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
Cancel on plans at the last moment
The answer is FLAKE
Shade of light purple
The answer is LILAC
___ acid (protein builder)
The answer is AMINO
Sarcastic "Yeah, sure"
The answer is IBET
Sardonic boss on "Parks and Recreation"
The answer is RON
Down
Stylish panache
The answer is FLAIR
Party game that tests how low you can go
The answer is LIMBO
Visitor from outer space
The answer is ALIEN
Philosopher who posed the question "What can I know?"
The answer is KANT
Environmentally friendly prefix
The answer is ECO
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.