Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and it mixes everyday vocabulary with subway familiarity and a dip into Greek mythology. Come on in, there are friendly footholds alongside the trickier references.
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: 9A is the toughest recall test, since recognizing the mythological reference still leaves you needing its distinctive spelling.
Gimme Clue: 1D offers the clearest foothold, asking for an everyday word for a low mood.
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. Go across
Hint: 1A asks for a verb describing what a bridge does over a river. Four letters, starts with S.
5A. Political staffer
Hint: 5A points to someone who assists an elected official behind the scenes. Four letters, starts with A.
6A. "Stand clear of the closing ___, please" (iconic N.Y.C. subway announcement)
Hint: 6A names the moving barriers passengers must stand clear of before the train departs. Five letters, starts with D.
8A. Hairstyle secured with pins, maybe
Hint: 8A describes hair gathered and fastened above the neck often for a formal look. Four letters, starts with U.
9A. Greek river of the underworld
Hint: 9A points to the mythological waterway associated with Charon's ferry. Four letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Feeling down
Hint: 1D calls for an emotional description, the opposite of happy. Three letters, starts with S.
2D. Devout
Hint: 2D describes someone deeply committed to religious observance. Five letters, starts with P.
3D. Get from the pound
Hint: 3D uses pound to mean an animal shelter. Think of giving a pet a permanent home. Five letters, starts with A.
4D. Excelling at trivia, say
Hint: 4D wants an informal adjective for someone with an enthusiastic command of niche facts. Five letters, starts with N.
7D. "Red" or "White" team
Hint: 7D points to the shared nickname ending of baseball clubs in Boston and Chicago. Three letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Go across
Answer: SPAN
5A. Political staffer
Answer: AIDE
6A. "Stand clear of the closing ___, please" (iconic N.Y.C. subway announcement)
Answer: DOORS
8A. Hairstyle secured with pins, maybe
Answer: UPDO
9A. Greek river of the underworld
Answer: STYX
Down Answers
1D. Feeling down
Answer: SAD
2D. Devout
Answer: PIOUS
3D. Get from the pound
Answer: ADOPT
4D. Excelling at trivia, say
Answer: NERDY
7D. "Red" or "White" team
Answer: SOX
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 6A's subway announcement leads to DOORS, giving the grid its strongest sense of place. The sentence practically supplies its own soundtrack, so recalling the announcement does the solving.
Wordplay Winner: 3D, "Get from the pound", earns the wordplay nod with ADOPT. The trick is reading pound as an animal shelter, then supplying the verb for bringing a pet home.
Quick Fill: SAD at 1D is the fastest confident fill, with a direct emotional synonym. It supplies the opening letters of SPAN, AIDE and DOORS, giving the upper Across entries an immediate foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Use direct synonyms such as SAD and PIOUS to establish crossings before tackling broader descriptions such as 4D's NERDY. A descriptive clue becomes easier to pin down when the grid supplies constraints.
If STYX's spelling stalls you, work through its Down crossings, PIOUS, ADOPT, NERDY and SOX. Recovering an unfamiliar name through intersecting vocabulary is a useful alternative to forcing recall.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
DOORS brings the familiar voice, while STYX adds the spelling challenge. The satisfying move is letting the everyday vocabulary carry you through the mythology.
See you at the next grid.