Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on familiar phrase completions, an old-fashioned abbreviation, and a touch of French vocabulary. Settle in for a compact grid with crisp 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: 5D is the trickiest clue because its dated shorthand is less familiar than the grid's everyday expressions.
Gimme Clue: 1D is the gimme because its direct definition points cleanly to a familiar adjective for feeling exhausted.
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. Spider ___
Hint: Complete 1A with what a spider spins to catch prey. Three letters, starts with W.
4A. Quaint term for a boyfriend, from the French
Hint: For 4A, reach for an old-fashioned French-derived term of affection for a male romantic partner. Four letters, starts with B.
5A. Crocodile ___
Hint: At 5A, complete the expression for an insincere display of sadness. Five letters, starts with T.
6A. ___ bird
Hint: For 6A, complete the saying about the bird that gets the worm. Five letters, starts with E.
7A. ___ wolf
Hint: At 7A, think of the familiar warning phrase about falsely raising an alarm over a predator. Three letters, starts with C.
Down Hints
1D. Feeling tired and worn out
Hint: For 1D, enter an adjective describing someone drained and worn out. Five letters, starts with W.
2D. British noble title
Hint: At 2D, think of the British rank below a marquess and above a viscount. Four letters, starts with E.
3D. ___ bee
Hint: For 3D, complete the expression comparing an industrious person to a buzzing insect. Four letters, starts with B.
4D. Panda ___
Hint: At 4D, use the broad animal noun that commonly follows panda. Four letters, starts with B.
5D. Detective, in old shorthand
Hint: For 5D, look for clipped old slang for a detective. 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. Spider ___
Answer: WEB
4A. Quaint term for a boyfriend, from the French
Answer: BEAU
5A. Crocodile ___
Answer: TEARS
6A. ___ bird
Answer: EARLY
7A. ___ wolf
Answer: CRY
Down Answers
1D. Feeling tired and worn out
Answer: WEARY
2D. British noble title
Answer: EARL
3D. ___ bee
Answer: BUSY
4D. Panda ___
Answer: BEAR
5D. Detective, in old shorthand
Answer: TEC
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 4A, “Quaint term for a boyfriend, from the French,” lands on BEAU. It defines the word precisely while the note about its French origin makes the old-fashioned register feel earned.
Wordplay Winner: 5A wins the wordplay round with TEARS in “Crocodile ___.” The clue uses a literal animal image to summon an idiom for insincere sadness.
Quick Fill: WEB is the fastest confident fill because “Spider ___” leaves little ambiguity. Its letters immediately anchor the starts of WEARY, EARL, and BUSY.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When dated shorthand stalls, build it from transparent crossings. TEARS, EARLY, and CRY place TEC vertically, turning the obscure clue into a confirmation rather than a blind guess.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair, pairing direct phrases with one useful vocabulary test. BEAU gave the compact puzzle its most distinctive bit of character.
See you at the next grid.
