Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and mixes crisp trivia with neat letterplay and a sly bit of misdirection. Settle in for a compact, lively grid.
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: 4A is the trickiest clue because its pigment definition and letter-swap instruction must both click at once.
Gimme Clue: 8A is the cleanest gimme because a familiar title leaves only its opening French article to supply.
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. Running joke
Hint: Picture a comic bit that keeps resurfacing throughout a show or conversation. Three letters, starts with G.
4A. Shade of brown that becomes a shade of gold if you change its first letter to an "A"
Hint: Start with an earthy artist's pigment, then test the clue's instructed initial swap to reach a golden hue. Five letters, starts with U.
6A. State that shares the same first and last letters with MOOSE, appropriately
Hint: Look to the northeastern state strongly associated with moose, then check its outside characters against the animal in the clue. Five letters, starts with M.
7A. Joined teams (with)
Hint: Read “teams” as a verb. The phrase means aligned oneself with another party. Five letters, starts with S.
8A. "___ Misérables"
Hint: Supply the plural French definite article that opens the familiar title in the clue. Three letters, starts with L.
Down Hints
1D. App with an envelope logo
Hint: Think of Google's email service, whose icon is styled like an envelope. Five letters, starts with G.
2D. Withstand
Hint: Use a verb meaning to endure or remain firm under pressure. Five letters, starts with A.
3D. Things that might make your hair curl?
Hint: The question mark points away from styling tools and toward inherited biological units. Five letters, starts with G.
4D. Sounds of hesitation
Hint: Hear the short verbal fillers that interrupt speech while someone searches for words. Three letters, starts with U.
5D. Vibrant color for a sugar maple in autumn
Hint: Picture the intense warm hue of sugar maple foliage at peak autumn color. Three letters, starts with R.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Running joke
Answer: GAG
4A. Shade of brown that becomes a shade of gold if you change its first letter to an "A"
Answer: UMBER
6A. State that shares the same first and last letters with MOOSE, appropriately
Answer: MAINE
7A. Joined teams (with)
Answer: SIDED
8A. "___ Misérables"
Answer: LES
Down Answers
1D. App with an envelope logo
Answer: GMAIL
2D. Withstand
Answer: ABIDE
3D. Things that might make your hair curl?
Answer: GENES
4D. Sounds of hesitation
Answer: UMS
5D. Vibrant color for a sugar maple in autumn
Answer: RED
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 3D, “Things that might make your hair curl?”, is the defining clue, with GENES turning an apparent reference to styling into an inherited trait.
Wordplay Winner: UMBER wins the wordplay prize at 4A. Replacing its initial U with A produces AMBER, neatly shifting the clue from brown to gold.
Quick Fill: LES is the fastest confident fill because the fixed title completes cleanly and confirms the final characters of GMAIL, ABIDE, and GENES.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Enter exact-title blanks such as LES immediately, then use their crossings to settle broader definitions like ABIDE.
When a clue gives an explicit transformation, verify both endpoints. UMBER becomes secure once its change to AMBER satisfies the full instruction.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair while rewarding precise reading, and GENES supplied the sharpest final turn.
See you at the next grid.
