Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Friday's grid brings a clever mix of geography, pop culture, and wordplay with a 5x5 challenge. Whether you're racing the clock or just enjoying a quick brain break, we've got hints and answers to keep you moving.
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: 6A. Movie with the fake newspaper headline "Wonder Elephant Soars to Fame!"
Gimme Clue: 1D. Hard thing to leave on a cold day
Theme Spotted: None today
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Lacking locks
Hint: Think hairless or smooth-headed
5A. One of the Great Lakes
Hint: The smallest by volume, shares name with a Pennsylvania city
6A. Movie with the fake newspaper headline "Wonder Elephant Soars to Fame!"
Hint: Disney animated film about a flying elephant with oversized ears
8A. Live tweeter?
Hint: Feathered creature that might use Twitter's platform namesake
9A. The slightest bit
Hint: Informal phrase meaning "a little," spelled phonetically
Down Hints
1D. Hard thing to leave on a cold day
Hint: Where you sleep, especially cozy on chilly mornings
2D. Caribbean island northwest of Curaçao
Hint: Popular vacation destination known for "One Happy Island" slogan
3D. The sky, in a saying
Hint: Complete phrase is "the ___ is the limit"
4D. Actress Messing
Hint: Star of "Will & Grace," first name starts with D
7D. Like this clue number
Hint: Not even, mathematically speaking
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Lacking locks
Answer: BALD
5A. One of the Great Lakes
Answer: ERIE
6A. Movie with the fake newspaper headline "Wonder Elephant Soars to Fame!"
Answer: DUMBO
8A. Live tweeter?
Answer: BIRD
9A. The slightest bit
Answer: ATAD
Down Answers
1D. Hard thing to leave on a cold day
Answer: BED
2D. Caribbean island northwest of Curaçao
Answer: ARUBA
3D. The sky, in a saying
Answer: LIMIT
4D. Actress Messing
Answer: DEBRA
7D. Like this clue number
Answer: ODD
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 8A. Live tweeter? for BIRD. Clever double meaning playing on Twitter's bird logo and actual birds that tweet.
Wordplay Winner: 7D. Like this clue number for ODD. Meta clue that references its own position (7 is an odd number).
Quick Fill: 1D. Hard thing to leave on a cold day for BED. Universal experience makes this an instant solve.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for meta clues that reference themselves - like 7D's "Like this clue number" pointing to ODD. These are usually quick wins once you spot the pattern.
Geographic clues (Great Lakes, Caribbean islands) often intersect with shorter words, giving you multiple entry points. Solve the geography first to unlock crossing letters.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? The clever bird/Twitter wordplay and meta odd number clue showed the Mini's knack for compact cleverness. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
