Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and a playful science clue brings a wink to a grid of everyday objects, casual slang, and trivia. Come on in and use the familiar clues to find your footing.
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: 7D is the toughest vocabulary check, since its British insult requires a more specific choice than a general word for fools.
Gimme Clue: 11D is the clearest gimme, with a familiar playground game's name doing the work for you.
Theme Spotted: 10A and 1D share a letter run.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Poker game entry fee
Hint: 1A asks for the money required to join the action at the poker table. Five letters, starts with B.
6A. Multi-story temple
Hint: 6A points to a temple with tiers and projecting eaves. Six letters, starts with P.
7A. Bird that can survive temperatures of -60 C°
Hint: 7A calls for a flightless bird associated with Antarctic ice. Seven letters, starts with P.
8A. Really awesome
Hint: 8A wants an enthusiastic slang term for something exceptionally cool. Three letters, starts with R.
9A. ___ Burgundy, hotshot anchorman in "Anchorman"
Hint: 9A points to Will Ferrell's swaggering TV newsman. Three letters, starts with R.
10A. Science class that really gets under your skin?
Hint: 10A turns the phrase about irritation into a literal description of studying the body's structure. Seven letters, starts with A.
12A. Loose-fitting garments of ancient Greece
Hint: 12A wants loose garments that hang from the shoulders over the torso. Six letters, starts with T.
13A. Orderly pile
Hint: 13A describes items arranged neatly atop each other. Five letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Piece of cloth tied around the head
Hint: 1D suggests a cloth square folded and knotted as headwear. Seven letters, starts with B.
2D. Brand with fleece-lined boots
Hint: 2D points to the footwear label associated with cozy sheepskin boots. Three letters, starts with U.
3D. "Nice job, dude!"
Hint: 3D wants a casual compliment celebrating someone's excellent work. Seven letters, starts with Y.
4D. "Good egg" and "bad apple"
Hint: 4D asks what these expressions are, rather than what their food words mean literally. Six letters, starts with I.
5D. Caretaker for small kids
Hint: 5D suggests someone hired to look after children in their home. Five letters, starts with N.
6D. Tiny bit of packing material
Hint: 6D wants a small, loose piece of cushioning tucked around goods inside a shipping box. Six letters, starts with P.
7D. Utter fools, to a Brit
Hint: 7D calls for a British slang insult for foolish people. Five letters, starts with P.
11D. ___-tac-toe
Hint: 11D asks you to complete the familiar name of the game played with Xs and Os. Three letters, starts with T.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Poker game entry fee
Answer: BUYIN
6A. Multi-story temple
Answer: PAGODA
7A. Bird that can survive temperatures of -60 C°
Answer: PENGUIN
8A. Really awesome
Answer: RAD
9A. ___ Burgundy, hotshot anchorman in "Anchorman"
Answer: RON
10A. Science class that really gets under your skin?
Answer: ANATOMY
12A. Loose-fitting garments of ancient Greece
Answer: TUNICS
13A. Orderly pile
Answer: STACK
Down Answers
1D. Piece of cloth tied around the head
Answer: BANDANA
2D. Brand with fleece-lined boots
Answer: UGG
3D. "Nice job, dude!"
Answer: YOUROCK
4D. "Good egg" and "bad apple"
Answer: IDIOMS
5D. Caretaker for small kids
Answer: NANNY
6D. Tiny bit of packing material
Answer: PEANUT
7D. Utter fools, to a Brit
Answer: PRATS
11D. ___-tac-toe
Answer: TIC
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 10A, "Science class that really gets under your skin?", earns its smile with ANATOMY. The familiar phrase becomes a literal description of a subject that examines the structures beneath the skin.
Wordplay Winner: 6D's "Tiny bit of packing material" lands on PEANUT, borrowing a food name for a loose piece of protective cushioning. The shipping context makes the intended meaning clear.
Quick Fill: 11D's TIC is the fastest confident fill because the game's name supplies it directly. It gives you the T in ANATOMY, the I in TUNICS, and the C in STACK, anchoring the lower part of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Fill the fixed phrases first, then use their letters to settle broader definitions. Here, TIC gives useful footholds in ANATOMY, TUNICS, and STACK before you commit to the longer Across answers.
Match the clue's tone as well as its meaning. "Nice job, dude!" invites the conversational YOU ROCK, while "Utter fools, to a Brit" narrows the vocabulary to PRATS.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid rewards a shift between literal definitions and casual speech, with ANATOMY providing the neatest wink. The familiar phrases offer footholds when the British slang gets tougher.
See you at the next grid.
