Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and mixes conversational phrasing, compact trivia, and crisp wordplay without a formal gimmick. Settle in for a lively grid with several 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: 16 (8 Across, 8 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 1D is the trickiest clue because it demands a specific civic fact rather than a definition you can assemble from wordplay.
Gimme Clue: 4A is the gimme, since both examples point cleanly to one everyday umbrella term.
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. "___, oh, ___!"
Hint: Think of a repeated exclamation of exasperation, with the same word filling both blanks. Three letters, starts with M.
4A. Wordle and Scrabble, for two
Hint: Place Wordle and Scrabble under the same broad type of pastime. Five letters, starts with G.
6A. "Heading over now!"
Hint: Use the quick message you send after setting off toward someone. Seven letters, starts with O.
8A. Totally awesome
Hint: Reach for retro slang meaning extremely cool. Three letters, starts with R.
9A. So-called "frankenfood," for short
Hint: The clue wants the standard abbreviation for a genetically altered organism. Three letters, starts with G.
10A. The University of Michigan has the largest one in the U.S., seating over 107,000 people
Hint: Name the kind of sports venue whose Michigan example seats over 107,000 people. Seven letters, starts with S.
12A. Go "Zzzz"
Hint: Think of the noisy breathing sound represented by those sleep letters. Five letters, starts with S.
13A. "Don't worry, ___ pass"
Hint: Complete the reassuring sentence with a contraction followed by a future-tense verb. Four letters, starts with I.
Down Hints
1D. First Muslim mayor of N.Y.C.
Hint: Think of the New York City politician identified by this historic mayoral milestone. Seven letters, starts with M.
2D. Coney Barrett of the Supreme Court
Hint: Supply Justice Coney Barrett's first name. Three letters, starts with A.
3D. Fox sitcom set in a Los Angeles loft
Hint: Picture the Fox comedy about roommates sharing a Los Angeles loft. Seven letters, starts with N.
4D. Tiny summer pests
Hint: Think of tiny flying insects that hover around faces during warm weather. Five letters, starts with G.
5D. ___ Adams, Founding Father for whom a beer is named
Hint: Identify the Adams associated with both the Founding era and a beer label. Six letters, starts with S.
6D. Surgery sites, for short
Hint: Think of the abbreviated hospital rooms where operations happen. Three letters, starts with O.
7D. ___ Kippur
Hint: Complete the name of the Jewish Day of Atonement. Three letters, starts with Y.
11D. Bit of Braille
Hint: Think of one raised mark in a tactile reading cell. Three letters, starts with D.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. "___, oh, ___!"
Answer: MAN
4A. Wordle and Scrabble, for two
Answer: GAMES
6A. "Heading over now!"
Answer: ONMYWAY
8A. Totally awesome
Answer: RAD
9A. So-called "frankenfood," for short
Answer: GMO
10A. The University of Michigan has the largest one in the U.S., seating over 107,000 people
Answer: STADIUM
12A. Go "Zzzz"
Answer: SNORE
13A. "Don't worry, ___ pass"
Answer: ITLL
Down Answers
1D. First Muslim mayor of N.Y.C.
Answer: MAMDANI
2D. Coney Barrett of the Supreme Court
Answer: AMY
3D. Fox sitcom set in a Los Angeles loft
Answer: NEWGIRL
4D. Tiny summer pests
Answer: GNATS
5D. ___ Adams, Founding Father for whom a beer is named
Answer: SAMUEL
6D. Surgery sites, for short
Answer: ORS
7D. ___ Kippur
Answer: YOM
11D. Bit of Braille
Answer: DOT
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 6A, “Heading over now!”, with ONMYWAY defines this grid. The answer captures a natural text-message phrase and stretches it cleanly across the entire row.
Wordplay Winner: 1A wins the wordplay prize with MAN. The clue's two identical blanks turn one short fill into the familiar exclamation “Man, oh, man!”
Quick Fill: GAMES was the fastest confident fill because Wordle and Scrabble make the category immediate. Its letters provide crossings for GNATS, MAMDANI, AMY, NEWGIRL, and SAMUEL.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank direct category and venue clues first. GAMES and STADIUM establish broad crossing support before the civic and television trivia must be settled.
For quoted clues, hear the entire sentence aloud before entering letters. That approach makes ONMYWAY and ITLL easier to recognize as spoken phrases rather than isolated vocabulary.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, pairing direct footholds with sharper proper-name crossings. ONMYWAY gave the grid a particularly lively voice.
See you at the next grid.
