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
Eleven plus two, or twelve plus one
The answer is THIRTEEN
"Eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one," e.g.
The answer is ANAGRAMS
Down
Ruffle or Pringle
The answer is CHIP
Business with cappuccinos and cuddly kittens
The answer is CATCAFE
"Dear, I'm home!"
The answer is HIHONEY
Act like
The answer is IMITATE
The "/" in km/h
The answer is PER
"Still unscheduled" abbr.
The answer is TBA
Cleveland N.B.A. team, to fans
The answer is THECAVS
Cardboard coaster at a pub
The answer is BEERMAT
Legal immunity, as granted through a pardon
The answer is AMNESTY
"Je t'___" (French "I love you")
The answer is AIME
Tailor's line
The answer is HEM
Pine ___ (slugger's sticky stuff)
The answer is TAR
Rollaway extra for a hotel room, maybe
The answer is COT
Unit of farmland
The answer is ACRE
Alternative to electric, for a stove
The answer is GAS
Cheese found in spanakopita
The answer is FETA
Big tub
The answer is VAT
Emoji used to mean "Ooh, interesting"
The answer is EYES
Messy, muddy home
The answer is STY
Looking for quick crosswords to sharpen your mind? Check out our NYT Mini Crossword hub for daily grids, hints, and answers.
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.