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
Exclamation made with a shiver
The answer is BRR
Putt 'er there!
The answer is GREEN
"___ gotta be kidding me!"
The answer is YOUVE
Negative attribute, so to speak
The answer is MINUS
Got some shut-eye
The answer is SLEPT
Down
Oven button with a "high" or "low" setting
The answer is BROIL
Get together again, like alumni
The answer is REUNE
Make go "Vroom!"
The answer is REVUP
Spots where you might spot some spotters
The answer is GYMS
Egg container
The answer is NEST
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.