Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and cartoon comedy, sports trivia, and crisp vocabulary give this grid a lively mix. Come on in, there's a foothold whether you favor familiar characters or direct definitions.
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: 6A is the trickiest because it asks for a Baltimore team member without supplying a position or a personal name.
Gimme Clue: 7A is the cleanest gimme, with a direct synonym clue that needs no specialist knowledge.
Theme Spotted: A shared letter run gives 6A and 1D a small coincidental link.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Move through the air, as a smell
Hint: Picture an aroma drifting gently from the kitchen. Four letters, starts with W.
5A. "Aladdin" character with the line "Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty-bitty living space"
Hint: Think of Aladdin's magical companion, whose enormous powers come with cramped accommodation inside a lamp. Five letters, starts with G.
6A. Baltimore N.F.L. player
Hint: Use Baltimore's football team nickname in its singular form. Five letters, starts with R.
7A. Wicked
Hint: Read this as morally bad, without the musical association. Four letters, starts with E.
8A. Fuse, as pieces of metal
Hint: Think of joining metal with intense heat. Four letters, starts with W.
Down Hints
1D. Use a loom
Hint: The loom helps you interlace threads to make cloth. Five letters, starts with W.
2D. Metal block falling on Wile E. Coyote's head
Hint: Picture the heavy blacksmith's block repurposed as a cartoon falling hazard. Five letters, starts with A.
3D. Scientist's area of study
Hint: Think of a scientist's discipline or specialty. Five letters, starts with F.
4D. Number of clues in this puzzle
Hint: Count the Across and Down clues together. Three letters, starts with T.
5D. Sprouted
Hint: Think of what a seed did as it became a larger plant, keeping the past tense. Four letters, starts with G.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Move through the air, as a smell
Answer: WAFT
5A. "Aladdin" character with the line "Phenomenal cosmic powers! Itty-bitty living space"
Answer: GENIE
6A. Baltimore N.F.L. player
Answer: RAVEN
7A. Wicked
Answer: EVIL
8A. Fuse, as pieces of metal
Answer: WELD
Down Answers
1D. Use a loom
Answer: WEAVE
2D. Metal block falling on Wile E. Coyote's head
Answer: ANVIL
3D. Scientist's area of study
Answer: FIELD
4D. Number of clues in this puzzle
Answer: TEN
5D. Sprouted
Answer: GREW
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 2D, "Metal block falling on Wile E. Coyote's head," makes ANVIL the standout. The cartoon image turns a workshop object into a vivid visual clue.
Wordplay Winner: 4D wins the playful-clue prize with TEN, the number of clues in the puzzle. Its mechanism is self-reference, asking you to inspect the crossword itself for the answer.
Quick Fill: EVIL at 7A is the fastest confident fill because "Wicked" supplies a direct synonym. It anchors GREW, WEAVE, ANVIL, and FIELD through its crossings with 5D, 1D, 2D, and 3D.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Start with direct definitions such as EVIL for "Wicked" and WEAVE for "Use a loom." Use those letters to approach the sports clue if RAVEN doesn't come immediately.
When a clue points back to the puzzle, check what you can count directly. TEN at 4D rewards that habit without requiring outside trivia.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
Direct definitions give this grid a welcoming base, while GENIE and ANVIL add the personality. The cartoon imagery is the detail that sticks after the final square.
See you at the next grid.