Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and serves up direct trivia, conversational phrasing, and a compact dose of misdirection. Settle in for a friendly 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: 7x7
Total Clues: 14 (7 Across, 7 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 3D is the trickiest clue because it demands a precise soccer term rather than a general description of a defender's mistake.
Gimme Clue: 2D is the clearest gimme, a direct geography clue for anyone who can place Dayton on a U.S. map.
Theme Spotted: No verified theme today, just 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. Stores owned and run by their workers
Hint: Think of retail businesses collectively owned and operated by the people who work there. Five letters, starts with C.
6A. "Huh, wasn't expecting that!"
Hint: Say the spontaneous reaction that escapes when something catches you completely by surprise. Five letters, starts with O.
7A. Run under a faucet
Hint: Picture the faucet step used to wash away soap or residue. Five letters, starts with R.
8A. Metal identifiers in the military
Hint: These paired metal identification pieces are worn by military personnel. Seven letters, starts with D.
11A. Bit of music that plays as a podcast ends
Hint: Think of the closing musical segment that accompanies a podcast's final moments. Five letters, starts with O.
12A. Font similar to Helvetica
Hint: Look for a familiar sans-serif typeface often compared with Helvetica. Five letters, starts with A.
13A. Leave alone
Hint: Picture telling someone to stop interfering and leave the matter untouched. Five letters, starts with L.
Down Hints
1D. Cut the ___ (cancel cable)
Hint: The missing object is what cable customers metaphorically cut when canceling service. Four letters, starts with C.
2D. Dayton's state
Hint: Locate Dayton on a U.S. map and enter its state. Four letters, starts with O.
3D. Game-changing mistake for a World Cup defender
Hint: In soccer, this happens when a defender accidentally sends the ball into the team's own net. Seven letters, starts with O.
4D. Slouching is a bad form of this
Hint: The clue wants the term for how the body is held or aligned. Seven letters, starts with P.
5D. Worry about the small stuff
Hint: Think of the idiom for fretting over minor concerns. Seven letters, starts with S.
9D. Snatch
Hint: Use a brisk verb for taking something suddenly. Four letters, starts with G.
10D. ___ Survivor, title for each winner of "Survivor"
Hint: The missing word describes the uniquely remaining winner of the reality competition. Four letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1A. Stores owned and run by their workers
Answer: COOPS
6A. "Huh, wasn't expecting that!"
Answer: OHWOW
7A. Run under a faucet
Answer: RINSE
8A. Metal identifiers in the military
Answer: DOGTAGS
11A. Bit of music that plays as a podcast ends
Answer: OUTRO
12A. Font similar to Helvetica
Answer: ARIAL
13A. Leave alone
Answer: LETBE
Down Answers
1D. Cut the ___ (cancel cable)
Answer: CORD
2D. Dayton's state
Answer: OHIO
3D. Game-changing mistake for a World Cup defender
Answer: OWNGOAL
4D. Slouching is a bad form of this
Answer: POSTURE
5D. Worry about the small stuff
Answer: SWEATIT
9D. Snatch
Answer: GRAB
10D. ___ Survivor, title for each winner of "Survivor"
Answer: SOLE
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 3D, "Game-changing mistake for a World Cup defender," with OWNGOAL defines the grid's sharpest entry. It works because the clue describes both the action and its immediate competitive consequence without giving away the standard soccer term.
Wordplay Winner: 6A wins the wordplay prize with OHWOW. The quotation clue disguises a compact pair of interjections as a natural spoken reaction, so the fill feels conversational rather than dictionary-like.
Quick Fill: OHIO at 2D is the fastest confident fill because Dayton identifies the state directly. Its crossings lock in COOPS, OHWOW, RINSE, and DOGTAGS across the upper half of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Enter direct geography and vocabulary first, especially OHIO and GRAB, then use those fixed letters to test the longer phrases.
Treat OWNGOAL, POSTURE, and SWEATIT as confirmation lanes through the center. Once one becomes clear, its crossings quickly settle several Across entries.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair, rewarding direct knowledge before asking for conversational phrasing and one precise soccer term. OWNGOAL supplied the strongest finishing touch.
See you at the next grid.
