Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and rock-band trivia meets everyday definitions, with a hidden-name clue adding a different twist. Grab your pencil and follow whichever clues click first.
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 because its brief clue leaves several synonyms in play. Let the crossings narrow your choice.
Gimme Clue: 1D is the clearest gimme, since the quoted response points straight to a familiar bodily sound.
Theme Spotted: Everyday words doubling as rock-band names.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. "Abbott Elementary" network
Hint: 1A points to the broadcast network that airs the school-set sitcom. Three letters, starts with A.
4A. Coffee supplement ... or a ’60s rock band
Hint: 4A asks for a dairy addition that lightens your coffee and doubles as a rock-band name. Five letters, starts with C.
7A. Valentine's Day symbol ... or a ’70s-’80s rock band
Hint: 7A points to the classic shape on a romantic greeting card, also the name of a rock band. Five letters, starts with H.
8A. Desert watering hole ... or a ’90s-’00s rock band
Hint: 8A describes a patch of water and greenery amid dry terrain, also a rock-band name. Five letters, starts with O.
9A. Glorifying poem
Hint: 9A calls for a verse form devoted to praise. Three letters, starts with O.
Down Hints
1D. Sound preceding "Gesundheit!"
Hint: 1D wants the written sound of a sneeze. Five letters, starts with A.
2D. Basis for croutons
Hint: 2D asks what you cube and toast to make those crunchy salad toppings. Five letters, starts with B.
3D. Stop
Hint: 3D needs a verb meaning to bring an activity to an end. Five letters, starts with C.
5D. Name found in "nefarious"
Hint: 5D hides a personal name in consecutive letters inside the clue's quoted word. Three letters, starts with A.
6D. Denali and Whitney: Abbr.
Hint: 6D wants an abbreviated plural term for the geographic features named in the clue. Three letters, starts with M.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. "Abbott Elementary" network
Answer: ABC
4A. Coffee supplement ... or a ’60s rock band
Answer: CREAM
7A. Valentine's Day symbol ... or a ’70s-’80s rock band
Answer: HEART
8A. Desert watering hole ... or a ’90s-’00s rock band
Answer: OASIS
9A. Glorifying poem
Answer: ODE
Down Answers
1D. Sound preceding "Gesundheit!"
Answer: ACHOO
2D. Basis for croutons
Answer: BREAD
3D. Stop
Answer: CEASE
5D. Name found in "nefarious"
Answer: ARI
6D. Denali and Whitney: Abbr.
Answer: MTS
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 4A, "Coffee supplement ... or a ’60s rock band," gives CREAM and sets up the grid's defining trick. Both halves lead independently to the same word, making the musical connection a useful confirmation.
Wordplay Winner: 5D wins the wordplay prize with ARI tucked inside "nefarious." The clue asks you to inspect the spelling rather than interpret the word's meaning.
Quick Fill: ACHOO at 1D is the fastest confident fill because "Gesundheit!" gives such a direct cue. It supplies the opening letters of ABC, CREAM, HEART, OASIS, and ODE, giving every Across entry a foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
For the double-definition clues, use whichever half you recognize first. CREAM, HEART, and OASIS all let everyday vocabulary carry you through the music references.
When a clue says a name is "found in" a word, scan its spelling before searching your trivia memory. ARI in "nefarious" rewards that literal reading.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The band connections give this grid personality while the everyday definitions keep it approachable. CREAM sets the pattern, and the hidden ARI adds a neat finishing touch.
See you at the next grid.
