Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and everyday vocabulary gets a playful lift from a haircut joke and a musical reference. Settle in and let the familiar clues get you started.
How The Mini Works
The Mini is a compact version of the classic NYT Crossword, typically featuring a 5x5 grid with five Across and five Down clues. Saturdays expand to a larger grid with more clues. Solve the intersecting words, and when the grid is complete, you'll hear a satisfying chime. No streak tracking here, but the built-in timer lets you compete against yourself or challenge friends.
New puzzles drop at 10 p.m. EST on weekdays and Saturdays. Sunday's Mini arrives earlier at 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Quick Scan
In a rush? Here's the at-a-glance breakdown for today's puzzle:
Grid Size: 5x5
Total Clues: 10 (5 Across, 5 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 3D is the trickiest clue because Christmas decorations suggest several possibilities, and the wording leaves the edible detail unstated.
Gimme Clue: 5A is the clearest gimme, a direct request for the familiar action audiences use to express approval.
Theme Spotted: None today, straight trivia and wordplay.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Preschoolers sing them
Hint: Think of the alphabet lesson set to a familiar tune. Four letters, starts with A.
5A. Give applause
Hint: Picture the action your hands perform after a great performance. Four letters, starts with C.
6A. Constantly complaining
Hint: Listen for the nasal, dissatisfied tone of someone grumbling. Five letters, starts with W.
7A. Remote button with a house icon
Hint: Think of the button that returns you to the main menu. Four letters, starts with H.
8A. Bad comment to hear from your barber
Hint: Imagine a brief admission that the scissors slipped. Four letters, starts with O.
Down Hints
1D. Sneeze sound
Hint: Write the comic-book sound that earns a blessing. Five letters, starts with A.
2D. Goodyear aircraft
Hint: Picture a large, balloonlike craft carrying the tire company's name. Five letters, starts with B.
3D. Some decorations on Christmas trees
Hint: Think of striped sweets with curved tops that hang from branches. Five letters, starts with C.
4D. Undercover agent
Hint: Think of an intelligence operative working under a concealed identity. Three letters, starts with S.
6D. "Pinball Wizard" band, with "The"
Hint: Think of the British rock act behind Tommy. Three letters, starts with W.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Preschoolers sing them
Answer: ABCS
5A. Give applause
Answer: CLAP
6A. Constantly complaining
Answer: WHINY
7A. Remote button with a house icon
Answer: HOME
8A. Bad comment to hear from your barber
Answer: OOPS
Down Answers
1D. Sneeze sound
Answer: ACHOO
2D. Goodyear aircraft
Answer: BLIMP
3D. Some decorations on Christmas trees
Answer: CANES
4D. Undercover agent
Answer: SPY
6D. "Pinball Wizard" band, with "The"
Answer: WHO
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 8A, “Bad comment to hear from your barber,” earns its laugh with OOPS. The tiny admission lets you imagine the haircut mishap without describing it.
Wordplay Winner: 3D’s CANES supplies the neatest wording trick by leaving “candy” implicit. The Christmas-tree setting steers you toward the sweet decorations rather than walking aids.
Quick Fill: CLAP at 5A is my fastest confident fill because the clue asks directly for an everyday action. It anchors ACHOO, BLIMP, CANES and SPY through its crossings.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Use direct action clues such as CLAP to establish letters before tackling broader descriptions. For CANES, let the seasonal setting narrow the possibilities, then confirm the choice with crossings.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid keeps the vocabulary familiar and lets the clue writing supply the personality. OOPS delivers the sharpest little scene, a haircut going wrong in a single word.
See you at the next grid.