Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on direct definitions, conversational phrasing, and a compact dose of trivia. Settle in for a brisk grid with satisfying crossings.
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: 1D is the trickiest clue because it asks you to recall a specific detail from a state quarter design.
Gimme Clue: 8A is the easiest gimme, with a direct synonym clue that leaves little room for ambiguity.
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. Stimulate, as the appetite
Hint: Think of a verb meaning to sharpen or stimulate hunger. Four letters, starts with W.
5A. "___ did the time go?"
Hint: Complete the familiar question that wonders about the destination of elapsed time. Five letters, starts with W.
6A. "Hmm, strange ..."
Hint: The clue calls for a casual adjective expressing that something feels odd. Five letters, starts with W.
7A. Walked through water
Hint: Picture moving on foot through shallow water rather than swimming. Five letters, starts with W.
8A. Neat and orderly
Hint: Look for an adjective describing a space with everything cleanly arranged. Four letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. Crop on the South Dakota state quarter
Hint: Think of the grain crop pictured on South Dakota's state quarter. Five letters, starts with W.
2D. "Saturday Night Live" alum Gardner
Hint: The target is the comedian and actor Gardner associated with the long-running sketch show. Five letters, starts with H.
3D. Made a mistake
Hint: Use the past-tense verb for having committed an error. Five letters, starts with E.
4D. Child's bear
Hint: Picture the classic stuffed bear commonly given to a child. Five letters, starts with T.
5D. Repeated letters in a U.R.L. address
Hint: Think of the repeated characters traditionally placed before a website's domain name. Three letters, starts with W.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1A. Stimulate, as the appetite
Answer: WHET
5A. "___ did the time go?"
Answer: WHERE
6A. "Hmm, strange ..."
Answer: WEIRD
7A. Walked through water
Answer: WADED
8A. Neat and orderly
Answer: TIDY
Down Answers
1D. Crop on the South Dakota state quarter
Answer: WHEAT
2D. "Saturday Night Live" alum Gardner
Answer: HEIDI
3D. Made a mistake
Answer: ERRED
4D. Child's bear
Answer: TEDDY
5D. Repeated letters in a U.R.L. address
Answer: WWW
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: The defining pair is 1A, “Stimulate, as the appetite,” for WHET, crossing 1D's WHEAT. The extra A turns one familiar word into another and gives the grid its sharpest visual connection.
Wordplay Winner: 5D wins the wordplay prize with WWW. “Repeated letters in a U.R.L. address” describes the entry's visible pattern while pointing cleanly toward the traditional web prefix.
Quick Fill: WWW was the fastest confident fill because the clue nearly spells out its repeated pattern. Its crossings immediately support WHERE, WEIRD, and WADED.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
For quotation blanks like 5A, say the full sentence aloud before considering synonyms. The natural cadence makes WHERE immediate and supplies crossings across the grid.
Bank unmistakable patterns early. Dropping in WWW quickly confirms the opening letters of WHERE, WEIRD, and WADED, reducing three Across clues to verification instead of discovery.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, using plain definitions and strong crossings before delivering the memorable WHET and WHEAT pairing. It was quick, clean, and satisfying.
See you at the next grid.
