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
Gibbon or gorilla
The answer is APE
Bird whose name is an excellent starting guess in Wordle, according to WordleBot
The answer is CRANE
Cry from a judge
The answer is ORDER
Family nickname that would make a terrible starting guess in Wordle
The answer is MAMMA
"Hooray!"
The answer is YAY
Down
Widespread display
The answer is ARRAY
Lakshmi who was a longtime host of "Top Chef"
The answer is PADMA
"Don't let perfect be the ___ of good" (aphorism)
The answer is ENEMY
URL ending
The answer is COM
Historical period
The answer is ERA
See Also
Explore more daily puzzles and NYT game solutions.