Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on crisp definitions, a visual math clue, and one playful quotation-mark turn. Settle in for a compact 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: 4D is the trickiest clue because the Diane von Furstenberg quotation asks you to identify an abstract personal quality from context.
Gimme Clue: 7A is the clearest gimme, with a direct description of the support used to hold a painter's canvas.
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. Brownie ingredients
Hint: For 1A, think of baking staples that add richness and help bind brownie batter. Four letters, starts with E.
5A. Gym rep on leg day
Hint: For 5A, picture the lower-body gym movement performed by bending at the hips and knees before rising again. Five letters, starts with S.
6A. "Silly" stuff
Hint: For 6A, the quotation marks point toward the moldable children's compound paired with the quoted adjective in its familiar name. Five letters, starts with P.
7A. Stand for a painter
Hint: For 7A, name the upright support that holds a canvas while an artist works. Five letters, starts with E.
8A. Bonnie and ___, classic crime couple
Hint: For 8A, supply the male member of the classic outlaw couple named in the clue. Five letters, starts with C.
Down Hints
1D. =
Hint: For 1D, translate the mathematical symbol into the adjective describing quantities with the same value. Five letters, starts with E.
2D. Courageous
Hint: For 2D, seek an informal adjective for someone showing bold courage. Five letters, starts with G.
3D. Fenced in, as a private community
Hint: For 3D, describe a private community secured behind a controlled entrance. Five letters, starts with G.
4D. What "each of us already has, all we need to do is find it," per Diane von Furstenberg
Hint: For 4D, the quotation refers to the distinctive personal aesthetic expressed through clothing and presentation. Five letters, starts with S.
5D. Contractor's detail, for short
Hint: For 5D, use the standard shortened term for a precise requirement listed in construction documents. Four letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Brownie ingredients
Answer: EGGS
5A. Gym rep on leg day
Answer: SQUAT
6A. "Silly" stuff
Answer: PUTTY
7A. Stand for a painter
Answer: EASEL
8A. Bonnie and ___, classic crime couple
Answer: CLYDE
Down Answers
1D. =
Answer: EQUAL
2D. Courageous
Answer: GUTSY
3D. Fenced in, as a private community
Answer: GATED
4D. What "each of us already has, all we need to do is find it," per Diane von Furstenberg
Answer: STYLE
5D. Contractor's detail, for short
Answer: SPEC
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 6A, “Silly” stuff, lands on PUTTY. The quotation marks turn “Silly” into the familiar modifier from Silly Putty, while “stuff” neatly defines the moldable substance.
Wordplay Winner: 1D wins the wordplay nod with EQUAL. Instead of a verbal clue, the equals sign performs its own definition, making the tiny clue visually exact.
Quick Fill: EASEL at 7A is the fastest confident fill because its painter clue is direct. It anchors SPEC, EQUAL, GUTSY, GATED, and STYLE through a full row of crossings.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Enter direct object clues such as EASEL before tackling quotation-based clues. A firm row of crossings turns the abstract STYLE clue into a controlled deduction.
Treat punctuation as part of the clue. The quotation marks around “Silly” lead to PUTTY, while the bare equals sign translates directly to EQUAL.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair, balancing direct vocabulary with compact bits of misdirection. PUTTY provided the liveliest reveal, and the clean crossings kept the finish crisp.
See you at the next grid.
