Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans into crisp trivia, multilingual vocabulary, and a light touch of wordplay. Settle in for a compact grid with plenty of clean crossing support.
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 its unusual ordering language makes a familiar Disney villain harder to retrieve.
Gimme Clue: 7A is the clearest gimme, since Aesop points directly toward a familiar type of moral tale.
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. ___ shrimp (classic oxymoron)
Hint: The blank describes something exceptionally large, creating the contradiction in this familiar phrase. Five letters, starts with J.
6A. Love, to a Frenchman
Hint: Reach for the French noun associated with romantic love. Five letters, starts with A.
7A. Tale from Aesop
Hint: Think of a brief traditional story that usually delivers a moral. Five letters, starts with F.
8A. Friend, to a Spaniard
Hint: Use the familiar Spanish term for a male friend. Five letters, starts with A.
9A. Provokes, with "up"
Hint: Look for a verb meaning irritates or stirs someone to anger, especially when followed by “up.” Five letters, starts with R.
Down Hints
1D. Disney villain between Gaston and Scar
Hint: Think of the scheming royal adviser from Aladdin. Five letters, starts with J.
2D. The so-called "fifth taste"
Hint: This taste is the deep savory quality associated with foods such as broth and mushrooms. Five letters, starts with U.
3D. Gas brand that merged with Exxon
Hint: Picture the service-station brand long associated with a red Pegasus. Five letters, starts with M.
4D. Stick out noticeably
Hint: Choose a verb for protruding or swelling outward in a conspicuous way. Five letters, starts with B.
5D. Milkshake mix-ins that might get stuck in your straw
Hint: Picture crushed chocolate sandwich cookies thickening a milkshake and clogging the straw. Five letters, starts with O.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. ___ shrimp (classic oxymoron)
Answer: JUMBO
6A. Love, to a Frenchman
Answer: AMOUR
7A. Tale from Aesop
Answer: FABLE
8A. Friend, to a Spaniard
Answer: AMIGO
9A. Provokes, with "up"
Answer: RILES
Down Answers
1D. Disney villain between Gaston and Scar
Answer: JAFAR
2D. The so-called "fifth taste"
Answer: UMAMI
3D. Gas brand that merged with Exxon
Answer: MOBIL
4D. Stick out noticeably
Answer: BULGE
5D. Milkshake mix-ins that might get stuck in your straw
Answer: OREOS
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 1A, “___ shrimp (classic oxymoron),” with JUMBO, defines the puzzle's playful side. JUMBO describes great size, so placing it beside shrimp creates the contradiction promised by the clue.
Wordplay Winner: 1D wins the misdirection prize with JAFAR. “Between Gaston and Scar” sounds spatial, but it positions three Disney villains in alphabetical order.
Quick Fill: FABLE at 7A is the fastest confident fill because Aesop makes the association immediate. It anchors the center row and confirms letters in JAFAR, UMAMI, MOBIL, BULGE, and OREOS.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Fill direct cultural associations such as FABLE and UMAMI before tackling clues with looser wording. Their crossings turn retrieval-heavy entries such as JAFAR and MOBIL into quick confirmations.
Treat language markers as firm instructions. The French cue produces AMOUR, while the Spanish cue produces AMIGO, giving two complete rows with minimal ambiguity.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, balancing immediate vocabulary with a few retrieval tests. JUMBO supplied the sharpest laugh, while the fully crossed layout kept every tougher answer within reach.
See you at the next grid.
