Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Monday's grid brings a clever meta-puzzle where missing letters are the main event. 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: 5A: Dallas Cowboys stat is a tricky state-over-team misdirection
Gimme Clue: 3D: Nurses' co-workers: Abbr. This is a straightforward abbreviation
Theme Spotted: Missing letters
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Impressive academic degree
Hint: Think doctorate. Three letters, starts with P.
4A. *Place to find a doc
Hint: A dock where ships dock. Four letters, starts with P.
5A. *Dallas Cowboys stat
Hint: Think Lone Star State, not a football stat. Five letters, starts with T.
6A. *Make a scar
Hint: What a wound does as it heals. Four letters, starts with K.
7A. Number of letters missing from the ends of each starred Across clue in this puzzle
Hint: It's the smallest positive integer. Three letters, starts with O.
Down Hints
1D. Mischievous fairy
Hint: A small, playful creature from folklore. Five letters, starts with P.
2D. What radiators and microwaves generate
Hint: Think warmth and energy. Four letters, starts with H.
3D. Nurses' co-workers: Abbr.
Hint: Medical professionals with "Dr." titles. Three letters, starts with D.
4D. Ivy League school in Philly
Hint: Short name for the University of Pennsylvania. Four letters, starts with P.
5D. Boxing ref's decision
Hint: When a fighter can't continue. Three letters, starts with T.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Impressive academic degree
Answer: PHD
4A. *Place to find a doc
Answer: PIER
5A. *Dallas Cowboys stat
Answer: TEXAS
6A. *Make a scar
Answer: KNIT
7A. Number of letters missing from the ends of each starred Across clue in this puzzle
Answer: ONE
Down Answers
1D. Mischievous fairy
Answer: PIXIE
2D. What radiators and microwaves generate
Answer: HEAT
3D. Nurses' co-workers: Abbr.
Answer: DRS
4D. Ivy League school in Philly
Answer: PENN
5D. Boxing ref's decision
Answer: TKO
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 7A: "Number of letters missing from the ends of each starred Across clue in this puzzle" for ONE. This is the key that unlocks the entire meta, once you realize PIER drops R to become PIE, TEXAS drops S to become TEXA, and KNIT drops T to become KNI, you see the pattern. The answer ONE is the meta-commentary itself.
Wordplay Winner: 5A: "Dallas Cowboys stat" for TEXAS. The clue brilliantly misdirects you toward football statistics when the real answer is the team's home state. Clean, classic crossword misdirection.
Quick Fill: 3D: "Nurses' co-workers: Abbr." for DRS. Three letters, common abbreviation, and it crosses cleanly with 1A (PHD) and 2D (HEAT). Instant fill.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for meta clues with asterisks. When you see starred clues in the Mini, they're almost always connected by a theme. Solve the straightforward ones first, then look for the pattern. Today, the missing-letter theme reveals itself once you pencil in PIER, TEXAS, and KNIT.
Start with the gimme intersections. PHD (1A) and DRS (3D) cross at the D, both are three-letter abbreviations that any crossword regular knows instantly. Lock those in first to build momentum.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? That missing-letter meta on 7A was a clever Monday-level twist, the kind of self-referential clue that makes the Mini more than just a speed run. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
