Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and playful misdirection gives familiar subjects a fresh twist. Come on in for a mix of trivia and sideways thinking.
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: 7x7
Total Clues: 20 (11 Across, 9 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 9A is the trickiest clue because its key word suggests an animal before a different meaning clicks.
Gimme Clue: 1A offers a friendly foothold with an affectionate nickname for a familiar pet.
Theme Spotted: 4D and 5D echo the same shelf imagery, with a literal twist.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Pupper
Hint: 1A points to a pet with a wagging tail. Three letters, starts with D.
4A. Sight in a shark movie … or at the end of a French film
Hint: 4A links a body part breaking the water's surface with a French closing caption. Three letters, starts with F.
7A. "___ you serious?"
Hint: 7A needs the verb that turns disbelief into a direct question. Three letters, starts with A.
8A. Genetic molecule
Hint: 8A points to the molecule whose messenger form carries genetic instructions. Three letters, starts with R.
9A. Canine expert
Hint: 9A shifts the focus from pets to pointed teeth. Seven letters, starts with D.
11A. Common word in a hotel Wi-Fi network name
Hint: 11A labels hotel internet access for visitors rather than staff. Five letters, starts with G.
12A. What Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" wants to get over?
Hint: 12A asks you to recall Dorothy's signature song, rather than an emotional setback. Seven letters, starts with R.
14A. ___ Taylor (fashion brand)
Hint: 14A points to a women's clothing retailer known for office outfits. Three letters, starts with A.
15A. Prefix with friendly
Hint: 15A turns friendly into a description of something kinder to the planet. Three letters, starts with E.
16A. "The Tell-Tale Heart" writer
Hint: 16A points to the Gothic fiction writer behind a guilty narrator haunted by a heartbeat. Three letters, starts with P.
17A. Barely manage, with "out"
Hint: 17A needs a verb for scraping by with difficulty. Three letters, starts with E.
Down Hints
1D. Father's Day honoree
Hint: 1D calls for an informal family term for the holiday's honoree. Three letters, starts with D.
2D. Herb for spaghetti sauce
Hint: 2D points to an earthy herb sprinkled into tomato sauce or onto pizza. Seven letters, starts with O.
3D. The real deal
Hint: 3D describes something authentic rather than counterfeit. Seven letters, starts with G.
4D. Toy that's flying off the shelves?
Hint: 4D makes the flying literal, so picture a disc tossed across a lawn. Seven letters, starts with F.
5D. On the shelves
Hint: 5D describes merchandise available for purchase right now. Seven letters, starts with I.
6D. Singer ___ King Cole
Hint: 6D points to the velvet-voiced singer associated with Unforgettable. Three letters, starts with N.
10D. Highest point value for a Scrabble tile
Hint: 10D asks for the score printed on Q or Z before any board bonus. Three letters, starts with T.
12D. Jay-Z's genre
Hint: 12D points to music built around rhythmic vocal delivery and rhyme. Three letters, starts with R.
13D. Misfortune
Hint: 13D calls for a compact synonym for sorrow or distress. 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. Pupper
Answer: DOG
4A. Sight in a shark movie … or at the end of a French film
Answer: FIN
7A. "___ you serious?"
Answer: ARE
8A. Genetic molecule
Answer: RNA
9A. Canine expert
Answer: DENTIST
11A. Common word in a hotel Wi-Fi network name
Answer: GUEST
12A. What Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" wants to get over?
Answer: RAINBOW
14A. ___ Taylor (fashion brand)
Answer: ANN
15A. Prefix with friendly
Answer: ECO
16A. "The Tell-Tale Heart" writer
Answer: POE
17A. Barely manage, with "out"
Answer: EKE
Down Answers
1D. Father's Day honoree
Answer: DAD
2D. Herb for spaghetti sauce
Answer: OREGANO
3D. The real deal
Answer: GENUINE
4D. Toy that's flying off the shelves?
Answer: FRISBEE
5D. On the shelves
Answer: INSTOCK
6D. Singer ___ King Cole
Answer: NAT
10D. Highest point value for a Scrabble tile
Answer: TEN
12D. Jay-Z's genre
Answer: RAP
13D. Misfortune
Answer: WOE
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 9A, "Canine expert," earns its DENTIST answer by switching from an animal to a tooth. That compact change of meaning captures the grid's playful approach.
Wordplay Winner: 4D, "Toy that's flying off the shelves?", wins with FRISBEE. The retail expression suggests brisk sales, but the answer turns flying into the toy's literal function.
Quick Fill: DOG at 1A is my fastest confident fill because "Pupper" points straight to the familiar pet. Its crossings give DAD, OREGANO and GENUINE their opening letters, making it a useful anchor for the upper left.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a short clue seems obvious but the crossings resist, test another meaning of its key word. DENTIST rewards reading canine as a tooth, while FRISBEE rewards taking flying literally.
Use a clue with distinct settings as a built-in check. FIN must fit both the shark scene and the French film ending, so satisfying both halves gives you a firmer fill.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid offers friendly footholds, then rewards a change in perspective. DENTIST supplies the sharpest click, turning an everyday word into a satisfying little ambush.
See you at the next grid.