Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and a repeated clue gives this grid a playful twist amid familiar vocabulary and television trivia. Pull up a chair and enjoy finding how the clues fit together.
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: 7A is the trickiest because its wording also appears at 5D, so recognizing the definition leaves a choice for the crossings to settle.
Gimme Clue: 4D is the clearest gimme, since yin points directly to its familiar philosophical partner.
Theme Spotted: A repeated clue links 7A and 5D, with identical wording leading to different solutions.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Experimental and provocative
Hint: 1A calls for an adjective describing art that pushes boundaries and risks causing discomfort. Four letters, starts with E.
5A. "Top Chef" alum ___ Hall
Hint: 5A points to the chef Hall, also known for cohosting The Chew. Five letters, starts with C.
6A. Once more
Hint: 6A is what you would say when asking someone to repeat an action. Five letters, starts with A.
7A. Throw ... or a protection for an injured arm
Hint: 7A uses the arm support made from fabric, with the forearm resting in it. Five letters, starts with S.
8A. Something a camper sets up
Hint: 8A is a portable shelter that a camper pitches. Four letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. Keen-eyed bird of prey
Hint: 1D is the raptor whose bald variety serves as a national symbol of the United States. Five letters, starts with E.
2D. "You Can Never Go Down the ___" (Mister Rogers song for kids afraid of bath time)
Hint: 2D names the bathtub opening where water disappears after you pull the plug. Five letters, starts with D.
3D. Flash of light
Hint: 3D suggests a brief sparkle reflected from metal or glass. Five letters, starts with G.
4D. Yin's counterpart
Hint: 4D names the complementary principle associated with light and activity in Chinese philosophy. Four letters, starts with Y.
5D. Throw ... or a protection for an injured arm
Hint: 5D uses the rigid covering that holds an injured limb still. Four letters, starts with C.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Experimental and provocative
Answer: EDGY
5A. "Top Chef" alum ___ Hall
Answer: CARLA
6A. Once more
Answer: AGAIN
7A. Throw ... or a protection for an injured arm
Answer: SLING
8A. Something a camper sets up
Answer: TENT
Down Answers
1D. Keen-eyed bird of prey
Answer: EAGLE
2D. "You Can Never Go Down the ___" (Mister Rogers song for kids afraid of bath time)
Answer: DRAIN
3D. Flash of light
Answer: GLINT
4D. Yin's counterpart
Answer: YANG
5D. Throw ... or a protection for an injured arm
Answer: CAST
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 7A, "Throw ... or a protection for an injured arm", yields SLING and defines the puzzle's central trick. The identical clue at 5D yields CAST, with both answers working as a throwing verb and a protective noun.
Wordplay Winner: 5D's CAST wins for making the repeated clue work so neatly. To cast is to throw, while a cast immobilizes an injured arm, giving the same wording a different, equally precise answer.
Quick Fill: 6A's AGAIN is a confident early fill for "Once more". It runs across the center and supplies a letter to every Down answer, CAST, EAGLE, DRAIN, GLINT and YANG, making it a useful anchor.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When identical clues admit different answers, keep both possibilities open until crossings decide. Here, SLING and CAST each satisfy both halves of the clue, so the definitions alone cannot distinguish them.
Use the concrete setting inside a trivia clue when the reference is unfamiliar. The bath-time context at 2D points toward DRAIN even without knowing the Mister Rogers song.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The familiar vocabulary offers a welcoming route through the grid, while SLING and CAST reward a closer look. Their shared clue gives this puzzle a satisfying little snap.
See you at the next grid.