Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and a mix of film trivia, everyday vocabulary and compact wordplay keeps the grid lively. Bring your movie knowledge and an ear for familiar expressions.
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: 8A is the trickiest, because the display specifications point toward a compressed technology label rather than a general name for the appliance.
Gimme Clue: 5A is the gimme, with the named animated films giving a clear route to their shared studio.
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. "Cut it out!"
Hint: 1A: Read this as an impatient command to end someone's behavior, rather than an instruction involving scissors. Four letters, starts with S.
5A. They created "Up," "Onward" and "Inside Out"
Hint: 5A: Look for the animation studio behind the named films, rather than a director or distributor. Five letters, starts with P.
7A. ___ Eight (tournament round)
Hint: 7A: Think of the alliterative nickname for the basketball tournament round before the national semifinals. Five letters, starts with E.
8A. Flatscreen product that might be "4K UHD"
Hint: 8A: The full product label combines an abbreviated lighting technology with an abbreviated name for the viewing device. Five letters, starts with L.
9A. N.F.L. tight end McBride
Hint: 9A: Identify the football player McBride who plays tight end, then supply the name that completes his identification. Four letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. Variety of wheat in a grain bowl
Hint: 1D: Think of an ancient wheat variety with a nutty flavor, served as whole grains or milled into flour. Five letters, starts with S.
2D. Bathroom floor installer
Hint: 2D: Name the tradesperson who lays ceramic pieces and grouts the joints between them. Five letters, starts with T.
3D. Di- follower in CO2
Hint: 3D: Say the chemical name for CO2 aloud and isolate what follows the prefix in its final word. Five letters, starts with O.
4D. Hamburger unit
Hint: 4D: Focus on the flattened portion of meat inside the bun, rather than the assembled sandwich. Five letters, starts with P.
6D. Make "Vroom!," as an engine
Hint: 6D: Think of the verb for making an engine run faster and roar while the vehicle can remain stationary. Three letters, starts with R.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. "Cut it out!"
Answer: STOP
5A. They created "Up," "Onward" and "Inside Out"
Answer: PIXAR
7A. ___ Eight (tournament round)
Answer: ELITE
8A. Flatscreen product that might be "4K UHD"
Answer: LEDTV
9A. N.F.L. tight end McBride
Answer: TREY
Down Answers
1D. Variety of wheat in a grain bowl
Answer: SPELT
2D. Bathroom floor installer
Answer: TILER
3D. Di- follower in CO2
Answer: OXIDE
4D. Hamburger unit
Answer: PATTY
6D. Make "Vroom!," as an engine
Answer: REV
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 3D, "Di- follower in CO2," gives OXIDE. It works by asking you to split the familiar word "dioxide" at the prefix, turning a chemical formula into a compact language puzzle.
Wordplay Winner: 1A, "Cut it out!", wins the misdirection prize with STOP. The exclamation makes it a command to quit an annoying action, while the literal wording briefly suggests cutting something.
Quick Fill: PIXAR at 5A is the fastest confident fill because the film titles identify the studio so directly. It anchors every Down entry, supplying crossing letters to SPELT, TILER, OXIDE, PATTY and REV.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Use a confident studio answer such as PIXAR to seed the Down clues, then switch direction immediately. Those crossings give you a foothold in vocabulary such as SPELT and the chemistry wordplay behind OXIDE.
When a clue supplies technical shorthand such as "4K UHD," consider an abbreviated answer and use crossings to settle its form. Here, TILER, OXIDE and REV help confirm the compressed LEDTV fill.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid rewards moving between familiar trivia and precise readings of short clues. OXIDE supplies the neatest payoff, with a small shift in how you read a familiar chemical name.
See you at the next grid.
