Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on crisp trivia, conversational phrases, and a neat piece of virtual-meeting wordplay. 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: 5A is the trickiest clue because “Dropped a note” initially suggests delivery, music, or writing.
Gimme Clue: 3D is the clearest gimme, drawing on the basic object of a gold miner's search.
Theme Spotted: Yes, there is a rhyming gimmick today: every clue ends with a word that rhymes with its answer.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Place to see a gnu
Hint: Think of an attraction where visitors can observe wild animals such as a gnu. Three letters, starts with Z.
4A. Something a prospective college student might sign up for
Hint: Picture a prospective student walking around a campus with a guide. Four letters, starts with T.
5A. Dropped a note
Hint: Read “Dropped a note” as communicating in writing, not losing a musical pitch. Five letters, starts with W.
6A. Makes sound through one's gums
Hint: This is the verb for producing a tune with closed lips. Four letters, starts with H.
7A. Shout after a big success
Hint: Imagine the brief celebratory cry that follows a major triumph. Three letters, starts with Y.
Down Hints
1D. Meetings in virtual "rooms"
Hint: The quotation marks around “rooms” point toward familiar online video meetings. Five letters, starts with Z.
2D. Rarities in baseball routs
Hint: In a lopsided baseball game, these completed defensive results can be surprisingly scarce for the losing side. Four letters, starts with O.
3D. Something a gold miner looks for
Hint: Think of mineral-bearing material extracted from the ground. Three letters, starts with O.
4D. ___ blue
Hint: Complete the familiar phrase describing something loyal, genuine, or steadfast. Four letters, starts with T.
5D. "___ should I?"
Hint: The missing word asks for a reason before “should I?” Three letters, starts with W.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Place to see a gnu
Answer: ZOO
4A. Something a prospective college student might sign up for
Answer: TOUR
5A. Dropped a note
Answer: WROTE
6A. Makes sound through one's gums
Answer: HUMS
7A. Shout after a big success
Answer: YES
Down Answers
1D. Meetings in virtual "rooms"
Answer: ZOOMS
2D. Rarities in baseball routs
Answer: OUTS
3D. Something a gold miner looks for
Answer: ORE
4D. ___ blue
Answer: TRUE
5D. "___ should I?"
Answer: WHY
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 5A, “Dropped a note,” with WROTE defines the grid's playful character. The clue makes “dropped” sound physical before the answer reveals the idiom of sending someone a written note.
Wordplay Winner: ZOOMS wins the wordplay prize for 1D. The quoted “rooms” steers the clue away from physical spaces and toward multiple meetings held on the video platform.
Quick Fill: ORE was the fastest confident fill because the gold-mining clue is direct. It anchors the right edge through crossings with ZOO, TOUR, and WROTE.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank direct fills such as ORE and TRUE first, then use their crossings to settle the more flexible wording of WROTE and TOUR.
Treat quotation marks as directional signals. In the ZOOMS clue, the quoted “rooms” indicates a playful, nonliteral reading.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid treated solvers fairly, pairing approachable knowledge with just enough ambiguity to reward careful reading. WROTE supplied the sharpest payoff.
See you at the next grid.
