Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Monday's grid brings a crisp mix of tech, trivia, and clever anagram work. At 5x5 with ten clues, it's a quick solve, but the wordplay on 7A might slow you down if you're not paying attention.
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, the multi-step anagram clues require two mental operations.
Gimme Clue: 5A, is a standard crossword staple and immediate fill.
Theme Spotted: None today, a general-interest mix with tech, politics, and relationship references.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Sound of an online message
Hint: Think instant messaging and the alert your phone makes. Four letters.
5. Underwater detection device
Hint: Submarines use it. Five letters, starts with S.
6. Chicago's ___ Presidential Center
Hint: The 44th president's last name. Five letters.
7. Appropriate anagram of VENMO, if you change the "V" to a "Y"
Hint: Start with VENMO, swap the first letter to Y, then rearrange. What you send when you owe someone.
8. Potentially awkward wedding guests
Hint: People you used to date. Four letters.
Down Hints
1. Destination for mail that doesn't go to your home address, perhaps
Hint: A rental box at the post office. Four letters followed by three more.
2. Ridiculous
Hint: Synonym for silly or absurd. Five letters, starts with I.
3. Things debated by expectant parents
Hint: What to call the baby. Five letters.
4. Color of an overcast sky
Hint: Not blue today. Four letters.
5. ___ assembly required
Hint: The word on furniture boxes that means "partial." Four letters.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Sound of an online message
Answer: PING
5. Underwater detection device
Answer: SONAR
6. Chicago's ___ Presidential Center
Answer: OBAMA
7. Appropriate anagram of VENMO, if you change the "V" to a "Y"
Answer: MONEY
8. Potentially awkward wedding guests
Answer: EXES
Down Answers
1. Destination for mail that doesn't go to your home address, perhaps
Answer: POBOX
2. Ridiculous
Answer: INANE
3. Things debated by expectant parents
Answer: NAMES
4. Color of an overcast sky
Answer: GRAY
5. ___ assembly required
Answer: SOME
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 7A, "Appropriate anagram of VENMO, if you change the 'V' to a 'Y'" for MONEY. A two-step transformation that rewards solvers who treat wordplay as a logic puzzle. Swap the letter, then rearrange. Clean, clever, and thematically satisfying given Venmo's role in modern payments.
Wordplay Winner: 7A again takes the crown. The clue practically narrates its own solution: take a payment app, change one letter, anagram the result, and you get what the app moves around. That's a mini-masterclass in clue construction.
Quick Fill: 5A, SONAR. Instant recognition for anyone who's watched a submarine movie or played a video game. No head-scratching required.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for multi-step clues that ask you to transform a word before solving. When a clue mentions "anagram" or "change the [letter]," write down the base word, make the swap, then rearrange. Doing it visually on the grid is faster than mental gymnastics.
Use intersecting Down answers as confirmation. PING and POBOX share the P and O at 1A/1D, if you're unsure about a Down answer, plugging in a confident Across gives you a free letter. That intersection logic is your fastest path through the grid.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? That MONEY anagram was the trickiest turn, but once you cracked it, the rest of the board fell into place fast. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
