Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and today's grid mixes animal trivia, familiar objects, and a little menu misdirection. Bring your everyday knowledge and let the crossings handle the finer details.
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: 2D is the trickiest because recognizing the shower accessory leaves a spelling choice for the crossings to settle.
Gimme Clue: 4D is the gimme, with a direct description of the doorway you use to leave a building.
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. Eye color of white tigers
Hint: Think of a clear daytime sky rather than the tiger's pale coat. Four letters, starts with B.
5A. Home to the largest urban zoo in the United States, with "the"
Hint: The clue wants the New York City borough containing the zoo. Five letters, starts with B.
6A. Mayonnaise-like condiment
Hint: Think of a garlicky sauce served with fries or sandwiches. Five letters, starts with A.
7A. Not suited for leadership
Hint: Look for an adjective meaning unsuitable for the responsibility. Five letters, starts with U.
8A. What Chik'n Nuggets and Beyond Burgers lack
Hint: These plant-based substitutes imitate an ingredient from animals. Four letters, starts with M.
Down Hints
1D. Pickle juice
Hint: Name the salty liquid surrounding the cucumbers in the jar. Five letters, starts with B.
2D. Shower scrubber
Hint: Picture a fibrous bath accessory used to exfoliate skin. Five letters, starts with L.
3D. Dark, as a room
Hint: Describe the room's condition when no lamp is switched on. Five letters, starts with U.
4D. Door to the outside
Hint: Think of the sign above a doorway leading out of a public building. Four letters, starts with E.
5D. L. Frank ___, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"
Hint: Recall the author behind Dorothy's journey along the yellow brick road. Four letters, starts with B.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Eye color of white tigers
Answer: BLUE
5A. Home to the largest urban zoo in the United States, with "the"
Answer: BRONX
6A. Mayonnaise-like condiment
Answer: AIOLI
7A. Not suited for leadership
Answer: UNFIT
8A. What Chik'n Nuggets and Beyond Burgers lack
Answer: MEAT
Down Answers
1D. Pickle juice
Answer: BRINE
2D. Shower scrubber
Answer: LOOFA
3D. Dark, as a room
Answer: UNLIT
4D. Door to the outside
Answer: EXIT
5D. L. Frank ___, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"
Answer: BAUM
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 5A pairs the zoo-location clue with BRONX, turning a landmark fact into a borough answer. The instruction to supply it with "the" provides a useful grammatical cue.
Wordplay Winner: 8A wins the misdirection prize with MEAT. The nugget and burger names suggest what is on the menu, but the clue asks for the ingredient their plant-based versions leave out.
Quick Fill: 4D, EXIT, is the fastest confident fill because its clue is so direct. It supplies crossing letters for BLUE, BRONX, AIOLI, and UNFIT, giving the right edge a useful foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Use crossings to settle spelling variants before committing. Today's shower scrubber is LOOFA, and the final A is confirmed by MEAT.
Read geographic clues for the type of place requested. At 5A, the zoo is the identifying landmark, while BRONX names its home.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid rewards everyday knowledge and careful reading, with LOOFA adding a spelling wrinkle and MEAT delivering the neatest turn. The crossings give you a practical way through both.
See you at the next grid.