Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans on familiar trivia, conversational phrasing, and crisp definition clues. Settle in for a compact grid with satisfying crossings.
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 its formal wording points to a less common plural noun.
Gimme Clue: 8A is the clearest gimme, since the sign's distinctive shape leaves virtually no ambiguity.
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. Something you might ask for while staying over at a friend's house
Hint: Think of the connection details a host commonly shares so a guest can get online. Four letters, starts with W.
5A. Genre for "Stranger Things"
Hint: File the show alongside stories driven by strange experiments, alternate dimensions, and supernatural threats. Five letters, starts with S.
7A. Unlikely pants to wear to a wedding
Hint: Picture a casual denim choice that would look underdressed at a formal ceremony. Five letters, starts with J.
8A. Octagonal sign word
Hint: Visualize the command printed in white on the familiar red roadside sign. Four letters, starts with S.
9A. Where sows are housed
Hint: Name the pen traditionally associated with a female pig. Three letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Newspaper that covers the stock market, for short
Hint: Think of the business newspaper commonly abbreviated to its initials. Three letters, starts with W.
2D. Puts a cold pack on
Hint: Turn the cold-pack treatment into a present-tense verb for what someone does to an injury. Four letters, starts with I.
3D. Official decrees
Hint: Look for a formal plural noun meaning commands issued by an authority. Five letters, starts with F.
4D. "Otherwise ..."
Hint: Use the compact conditional phrase that introduces an alternative when the first case fails. Five letters, starts with I.
6D. Words before "with my little eye," in a game
Hint: Recall the opening words of the children's observation game quoted in the clue. Four letters, starts with I.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Something you might ask for while staying over at a friend's house
Answer: WIFI
5A. Genre for "Stranger Things"
Answer: SCIFI
7A. Unlikely pants to wear to a wedding
Answer: JEANS
8A. Octagonal sign word
Answer: STOP
9A. Where sows are housed
Answer: STY
Down Answers
1D. Newspaper that covers the stock market, for short
Answer: WSJ
2D. Puts a cold pack on
Answer: ICES
3D. Official decrees
Answer: FIATS
4D. "Otherwise ..."
Answer: IFNOT
6D. Words before "with my little eye," in a game
Answer: ISPY
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 1A, “Something you might ask for while staying over at a friend's house,” lands on WIFI. It defines the grid's approachable style by turning an ordinary social moment into a clean, immediate entry.
Wordplay Winner: 4D wins with IFNOT for “Otherwise ...” The clue converts a single transition word into the conditional phrase that carries the same logical turn.
Quick Fill: STOP at 8A is the fastest confident fill because the octagonal-sign reference is unmistakable. Its letters confirm ICES, FIATS, IFNOT, and ISPY at their crossings.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank the concrete visual clues first. STOP and STY provide dependable crossing letters before you tackle the more formal FIATS.
When a clue presents a familiar quotation fragment, supply the natural lead-in as a whole phrase. That approach makes IFNOT and ISPY much quicker to recognize.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid treated solvers fairly, pairing everyday references with a small dose of formal vocabulary. WIFI best captures its friendly, conversational character.
See you at the next grid.
