Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Friday's grid brings a tight 5x5 mix of construction terms, music mnemonics, and casual slang. Nothing too punishing here, but a few clues will test your vocabulary range.
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: 7A. "6:7, e.g.", this isn't hard once you see it, but the colon notation can throw you off if you're thinking time or dates.
Gimme Clue: 5A. "What 'E' stands for in the musical mnemonic EGBDF", this is a gimme if you've ever taken music lessons or heard "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge."
Theme Spotted: None today, a straightforward mix of standalone clues with no overarching theme.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Vertical post in a doorframe
Hint: Think door construction. Four letters, starts with J. What holds the door hinge side?
5. What "E" stands for in the musical mnemonic EGBDF
Hint: Recite the classic mnemonic for treble clef lines. "Every Good Boy...", what comes next?
7. 6:7, e.g.
Hint: Think math, not time. A colon here means a comparison between two numbers.
8. Rap or tap
Hint: It's a verb for making a sound by striking a surface. Five letters, starts with K.
9. Quick puff on a joint
Hint: Casual slang for a small inhalation. Four letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1. Kind of seasoning for Jamaican-style chicken
Hint: Spice rub style, not a specific herb. Four letters, starts with J. Goes great with grilled meat.
2. ___-garde
Hint: French-derived prefix meaning "before" or "ahead." Pairs with "garde" for an experimental art movement.
3. "That makes two of us!"
Hint: Five-letter phrase expressing agreement or shared experience. Starts with M, ends with OO.
4. Badly missed jump shot, in hoops slang
Hint: Basketball slang for a shot that clanks hard off the rim. Five letters, starts with B.
6. Oxen's harness
Hint: Wooden crosspiece used to pair draft animals. Four letters, starts with Y.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Vertical post in a doorframe
Answer: JAMB
5. What "E" stands for in the musical mnemonic EGBDF
Answer: EVERY
7. 6:7, e.g.
Answer: RATIO
8. Rap or tap
Answer: KNOCK
9. Quick puff on a joint
Answer: TOKE
Down Answers
1. Kind of seasoning for Jamaican-style chicken
Answer: JERK
2. ___-garde
Answer: AVANT
3. "That makes two of us!"
Answer: METOO
4. Badly missed jump shot, in hoops slang
Answer: BRICK
6. Oxen's harness
Answer: YOKE
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 7A. "6:7, e.g." for RATIO. The colon notation is a clever misdirection, most solvers instinctively think of time (6:07) or biblical references before landing on the mathematical meaning. Clean misdirection that rewards re-reading.
Wordplay Winner: 1D. "Kind of seasoning for Jamaican-style chicken" for JERK. The clue plays on the double meaning of "jerk" as both a cooking style and a sudden movement, while 1A JAMB sits right above it, two four-letter J-words sharing the same starting letter. Neat adjacency.
Quick Fill: 5A. "What 'E' stands for in the musical mnemonic EGBDF" for EVERY. Anyone who learned "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge" in elementary school music class will nail this instantly. Zero hesitation required.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for clues that look like math or time notation, colons, slashes, and dashes often point to ratios, fractions, or ranges rather than clock faces. When you see something that could be read multiple ways, start with the less obvious interpretation.
Short fill-in-the-blank clues like "___-garde" are almost always prefixes or compound fragments. If you recognize the second half ("garde"), the first half is usually a common French or Latin prefix (avant, arrière, etc.). Build a mental library of these fragments, they recur frequently in crosswords.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? JAMB and JERK sitting side by side in the top-left corner made for a strong J-themed opening, while RATIO and KNOCK tested your ability to pivot between math and everyday language. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
