Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on crisp wordplay, familiar trivia, and direct definitions without a larger gimmick. Settle in for a friendly grid with a few satisfying turns.
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 its playful description points to an everyday action in an unusually compressed form.
Gimme Clue: 4D is the clearest gimme, since the family relationship follows directly once you picture the nephew's sibling.
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. Put in persistent hard work
Hint: For 1A, think of a verb for steadily putting in demanding effort over time. Five letters, starts with G.
6A. The "A" of A/V
Hint: For 6A, this half of the abbreviation concerns sound rather than pictures. Five letters, starts with A.
7A. Buzzers by the trash
Hint: For 7A, picture the winged pests attracted to an overflowing garbage bin. Five letters, starts with F.
8A. What was always seen blocking Wilson's face, on "Home Improvement"
Hint: For 8A, recall the outdoor obstruction that kept Wilson's lower face hidden from his neighbors. Five letters, starts with F.
9A. Outer boundaries
Hint: For 9A, think of the limits running around the outside of an object. Five letters, starts with E.
Down Hints
1D. Politician's stumble
Hint: For 1D, look for a public verbal blunder that can become an embarrassing headline. Five letters, starts with G.
2D. Was totally awesome
Hint: For 2D, use a slangy past-tense verdict for something that was excellent. Five letters, starts with R.
3D. What bar bouncers spend all night doing
Hint: For 3D, focus on the repeated act of checking proof of age at the door. Five letters, starts with I.
4D. Nephew's sister
Hint: For 4D, map the relationship through the nephew's sibling. Five letters, starts with N.
5D. Units of a vaccine
Hint: For 5D, think of separately administered amounts of medicine. Five letters, starts with D.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Put in persistent hard work
Answer: GRIND
6A. The "A" of A/V
Answer: AUDIO
7A. Buzzers by the trash
Answer: FLIES
8A. What was always seen blocking Wilson's face, on "Home Improvement"
Answer: FENCE
9A. Outer boundaries
Answer: EDGES
Down Answers
1D. Politician's stumble
Answer: GAFFE
2D. Was totally awesome
Answer: RULED
3D. What bar bouncers spend all night doing
Answer: IDING
4D. Nephew's sister
Answer: NIECE
5D. Units of a vaccine
Answer: DOSES
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 8A, “What was always seen blocking Wilson's face, on ‘Home Improvement,’” lands perfectly on FENCE. The clue turns the sitcom's recurring visual joke into a concrete crossword definition.
Wordplay Winner: 3D wins the wordplay prize with IDING. The clue treats checking IDs as a continuous verb, turning a routine bouncer duty into a compact and playful entry.
Quick Fill: AUDIO at 6A is the fastest confident fill because the A in A/V expands directly to it. Filling the entire row immediately supplies crossings for GAFFE, RULED, IDING, NIECE, and DOSES.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Expand familiar abbreviations immediately when the clue isolates one component, as 6A does with AUDIO. A full row of secure letters can settle several less natural Down forms at once.
Use the plain relational clues as anchors before wrestling with playful grammar. NIECE and DOSES lock in the closing letters of every Across entry, and those completed rows are what make IDING much easier to recognize.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid treated solvers fairly, pairing approachable definitions with one memorable grammatical twist. IDING supplied the spark, while FENCE delivered the strongest cultural callback.
See you at the next grid.
