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
British "bye-bye"
The answer is TATA
Hearty gulp
The answer is SWIG
It's been called the "City of Light" and the "City of Love"
The answer is PARIS
Clark ___ a.k.a. Superman
The answer is KENT
Comedically risky
The answer is EDGY
Down
Baking measure: Abbr.
The answer is TSP
Unable to sleep
The answer is AWAKE
Sleepy
The answer is TIRED
"An extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been," per David Bowie
The answer is AGING
Pig's home
The answer is STY
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.