Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Monday's grid brings a satisfying word-family puzzle built around the "PUT" root. It's a breezy start to the week with a few pop-culture curveballs to keep you honest.
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: 6x6
Total Clues: 13 (7 Across, 6 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Inside Out" emotion whose head bursts into flame (7A)
Gimme Clue: Corona or Coors (8A)
Theme Spotted: None today
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Postponed, with "off"
Hint: Three letters. Think about delaying something, you "___ it off."
4. Mini-golf stroke
Hint: Four letters. The gentle tap you use on the green. Starts with P.
5. Silly ___ (classic toy)
Hint: Five letters. A moldable, squishy childhood favorite. It rhymes with "silly."
6. Syndicate of drug dealers
Hint: Six letters. Think organized crime, smuggling operations, or a certain Netflix drama.
7. "Inside Out" emotion whose head bursts into flame
Hint: Five letters. She's red, she's hot-headed, and she doesn't hold back.
8. Corona or Coors
Hint: Four letters. A cold one. What you order at a bar.
Down Hints
1. Aimlessly spend time around the house
Hint: Six letters. Fiddling with tools, doing small tasks, keeping busy.
2. Say
Hint: Five letters. To speak, to vocalize, to express aloud.
3. Texter's sign-off
Hint: Four letters. The acronym for "talk to you later."
4. Completely get rid of
Hint: Five letters. To eliminate, erase, or expunge entirely.
5. Window section
Hint: Four letters. A single sheet of glass in a frame.
6. Alternative to the subway
Hint: Three letters. A vehicle you hail on the street. Yellow in New York.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Postponed, with "off"
Answer: PUT
4. Mini-golf stroke
Answer: PUTT
5. Silly ___ (classic toy)
Answer: PUTTY
6. Syndicate of drug dealers
Answer: CARTEL
7. "Inside Out" emotion whose head bursts into flame
Answer: ANGER
8. Corona or Coors
Answer: BEER
Down Answers
1. Aimlessly spend time around the house
Answer: PUTTER
2. Say
Answer: UTTER
3. Texter's sign-off
Answer: TTYL
4. Completely get rid of
Answer: PURGE
5. Window section
Answer: PANE
6. Alternative to the subway
Answer: CAB
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Inside Out" emotion whose head bursts into flame for ANGER. This is a pure pop-culture test. If you've seen Pixar's masterpiece, it's instant. If not, you're staring at a 5-letter word for rage with zero context. The clue's visual specificity, "head bursts into flame", is what makes it click.
Wordplay Winner: "Postponed, with 'off'" for PUT. Simple, clean misdirection. "Put off" is the phrasal verb meaning to delay, but the clue presents it as if "off" is an optional add-on. Elegant construction for a three-letter gimme.
Quick Fill: Corona or Coors for BEER. No trick, no wordplay, no obscure brand knowledge. Two major beer brands, one four-letter answer. This is the free square of today's grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Spot the word family. PUT, PUTT, PUTTY, and PUTTER all share the "PUT" root. When you see one, check if the rest of the grid is running a theme. Recognizing the pattern early gives you 1A, 4A, 5A, and 1D almost instantly.
Pop culture is your shortcut. ANGER (7A) is a Pixar reference that rewards movie literacy. The Mini frequently pulls from film, TV, and internet culture. If a clue feels too specific for general knowledge, it's probably a pop-culture hook, lean into it.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? The "PUT" family gave this Monday puzzle a clever connective thread, and ANGER tested your Pixar recall. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
