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
Small woodwind in a military band
The answer is FIFE
Made cow sounds
The answer is MOOED
Made cat sounds
The answer is MEOWED
With 1-Down, annual activity with a draft
The answer is FANTASY
Someone who wasn't named a Pro Bowler, but should have been
The answer is SNUB
Hot sauce that comes in tiny bottles
The answer is TABASCO
Watchful of imminent danger
The answer is ONALERT
Multi-part sports bets
The answer is PARLAYS
Down
See 7-Across
The answer is FOOTBALL
Its capital is Des Moines
The answer is IOWA
Extra charges for ticket purchases
The answer is FEES
Swirl of water
The answer is EDDY
Row of options on a computer screen
The answer is MENUBAR
Tomorrow, in Spanish
The answer is MANANA
Camera setting that adjusts the size of the aperture
The answer is FSTOP
"... from ___ to shining ___"
The answer is SEA
Shed tears
The answer is CRY
Periods after fourth quarters, in brief
The answer is OTS
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.