Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and it mixes crisp definitions, a linked clothing pair, and a memorable film reference. Jump in and let the clean crossings guide you.
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: 3D is the trickiest clue because it asks for the missing part of a specific film character's name.
Gimme Clue: 6A is the clearest gimme, with a direct verb definition that leaves little room for ambiguity.
Theme Spotted: A compact clothing cross-reference links 4A and 1D; otherwise, this is 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. Humans share about 99% of it with chimps
Hint: Think of the molecule that carries hereditary instructions in living organisms. Three letters, starts with D.
4A. Blue attire made of 1-Down
Hint: Picture the classic blue trousers made from the material referenced at 1D. Five letters, starts with J.
6A. Bring together
Hint: Use a verb meaning to join separate parts into a whole. Five letters, starts with U.
7A. Chunk taken out of a golf fairway
Hint: Picture the small piece of turf a golf club can tear from the fairway. Five letters, starts with D.
8A. Foreboding signs
Hint: Look for forewarnings believed to signal what is coming. Five letters, starts with O.
Down Hints
1D. Blue material in 4-Across
Hint: Name the sturdy blue cotton fabric used for the clothing at 4A. Five letters, starts with D.
2D. Gullible
Hint: Think of someone whose lack of experience makes them overly trusting. Five letters, starts with N.
3D. ___ Chigurh, Javier Bardem's Oscar-winning role in "No Country for Old Men"
Hint: Supply the missing part of Chigurh's full name from No Country for Old Men. Five letters, starts with A.
4D. Olympic martial art
Hint: Think of the Olympic grappling discipline known for throws and pins. Four letters, starts with J.
5D. Theater backdrops
Hint: Picture the scenery placed behind actors during a stage production. Four letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Humans share about 99% of it with chimps
Answer: DNA
4A. Blue attire made of 1-Down
Answer: JEANS
6A. Bring together
Answer: UNITE
7A. Chunk taken out of a golf fairway
Answer: DIVOT
8A. Foreboding signs
Answer: OMENS
Down Answers
1D. Blue material in 4-Across
Answer: DENIM
2D. Gullible
Answer: NAIVE
3D. ___ Chigurh, Javier Bardem's Oscar-winning role in "No Country for Old Men"
Answer: ANTON
4D. Olympic martial art
Answer: JUDO
5D. Theater backdrops
Answer: SETS
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 4A, “Blue attire made of 1-Down,” lands on JEANS and points directly to DENIM. The reciprocal connection gives the grid its strongest bit of internal structure.
Wordplay Winner: 5D wins the misdirection with SETS. The word first suggests an action, but “Theater backdrops” demands its stage-scenery sense.
Quick Fill: UNITE at 6A is the fastest confident fill because “Bring together” is an exact synonym clue. Its row crosses JUDO, DENIM, NAIVE, ANTON, and SETS, giving every Down entry support.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank direct synonyms such as UNITE before wrestling with proper-name trivia. Those crossings sharply constrain ANTON.
Treat explicit cross-references as a package. Solving either JEANS or DENIM confirms the other and locks in their shared letter where row two meets column two.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair, pairing clean definitions with a satisfying JEANS and DENIM connection. ANTON supplied the one sharper trivia test.
See you at the next grid.
