NYT Mini Crossword Hints, Clues and Answers for Saturday, July 25, 2026

Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on conversational phrasing, current trivia, and a few spelling-sensitive turns. Settle in for a compact grid with plenty of lively 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: 7x7

Total Clues: 18 (7 Across, 11 Down)

Trickiest Clue: 9A is the trickiest clue because the intended action has a spelling form that can look unfamiliar even after the meaning clicks.

Gimme Clue: 10A is the cleanest gimme, since the draft-lottery reference points directly to one major sports organization.

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. "Good luck out there!"
Hint: Think of the punchy encouragement someone shouts as a friend heads into a challenge. Seven letters, starts with G.

8A. File-sharing method between two Apple devices
Hint: Use the name of Apple's nearby wireless transfer feature. Seven letters, starts with A.

9A. Sticking together with paste
Hint: Picture the ongoing act of joining materials with an adhesive, and watch the spelling closely. Seven letters, starts with G.

10A. Org. with a draft lottery
Hint: Think of the professional basketball league that uses a lottery to determine early draft positions. Three letters, starts with N.

11A. Unable to relax
Hint: The target describes someone tense, rigid, or unable to unwind. Seven letters, starts with U.

15A. Surround sound systems
Hint: Picture multiple audio setups built to make sound seem to come from around the listener. Seven letters, starts with S.

16A. "I wouldn't do that if I were you"
Hint: This is the blunt verdict behind a warning that a proposed plan should be abandoned. Seven letters, starts with B.

Down Hints

1D. Running joke
Hint: Think of a comic bit that keeps returning throughout a performance or story. Three letters, starts with G.

2D. Commodity whose price has risen sharply in 2026
Hint: Look for the energy commodity traded globally and extracted in crude form. Three letters, starts with O.

3D. Made a sound of exertion
Hint: Use the past-tense verb for making a low, rough noise while lifting or straining. Seven letters, starts with G.

4D. Ayo of "The Bear"
Hint: Think of the actor and comedian named Ayo who stars in "The Bear." Seven letters, starts with E.

5D. Assessed for priority, as in the E.R.
Hint: The target is the past-tense verb for evaluating patients and assigning treatment priority. Seven letters, starts with T.

6D. Extremely long time
Hint: Reach for a geological-scale span rather than an ordinary stretch of years. Three letters, starts with E.

7D. Fuel economy meas.
Hint: Use the standard abbreviation that compares distance driven with fuel consumed. Three letters, starts with M.

11D. Alternative to a lightning cable
Hint: Think of the widely used connector standard that contrasts with Apple's proprietary cable. Three letters, starts with U.

12D. Book fair group, for short
Hint: The abbreviated school group brings parents and teachers together and often organizes book fairs. Three letters, starts with P.

13D. Soil-loosening tool
Hint: Picture a gardening implement with a blade used to break and loosen earth. Three letters, starts with H.

14D. Org. that issues Known Traveler Numbers
Hint: Think of the federal airport-security agency associated with trusted-traveler credentials. Three letters, starts with T.

Full Answers

Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.

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Across Answers

1A. "Good luck out there!"
Answer: GOGETEM

8A. File-sharing method between two Apple devices
Answer: AIRDROP

9A. Sticking together with paste
Answer: GLUEING

10A. Org. with a draft lottery
Answer: NBA

11A. Unable to relax
Answer: UPTIGHT

15A. Surround sound systems
Answer: STEREOS

16A. "I wouldn't do that if I were you"
Answer: BADIDEA

Down Answers

1D. Running joke
Answer: GAG

2D. Commodity whose price has risen sharply in 2026
Answer: OIL

3D. Made a sound of exertion
Answer: GRUNTED

4D. Ayo of "The Bear"
Answer: EDEBIRI

5D. Assessed for priority, as in the E.R.
Answer: TRIAGED

6D. Extremely long time
Answer: EON

7D. Fuel economy meas.
Answer: MPG

11D. Alternative to a lightning cable
Answer: USB

12D. Book fair group, for short
Answer: PTA

13D. Soil-loosening tool
Answer: HOE

14D. Org. that issues Known Traveler Numbers
Answer: TSA

Grid Breakdown

Here's what made today's puzzle tick:

Standout Clue: 1A, "Good luck out there!" with GOGETEM, defines the puzzle's bright conversational style. The answer captures a spoken send-off in the compact form the grid demands.

Wordplay Winner: 9A wins the misdirection prize with GLUEING. The paste clue is straightforward, but the retained E creates an orthographic trap that makes the crossings do real work.

Quick Fill: NBA at 10A is the fastest confident fill, and its central position anchors GRUNTED, EDEBIRI, and TRIAGED through three direct crossings.

Speed Solver Tips

Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:

Enter a highly specific abbreviation like NBA as soon as its clue lands. In this grid, that short answer supplies one letter apiece to three long Down entries and quickly exposes weak guesses.

When the definition is obvious but the spelling looks strange, hold the entry lightly until the crossings confirm it. GLUEING is today's reminder that familiar actions can appear in less familiar written forms.

Tomorrow's Puzzle

The grid treated solvers fairly, offering crisp abbreviations around a more demanding set of long crossings. GOGETEM gave the whole solve an encouraging final note.

See you at the next grid.