Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Saturday's grid brings a cleverly constructed puzzle built around anagrams and wordplay that rewards pattern recognition. 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: 7x8
Total Clues: 28 (19 Across, 9 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Eleven plus two, or twelve plus one," a math riddle in disguise
Gimme Clue: "The "/" in km/h" if you've seen a speed limit sign, you've got this
Theme Spotted: None
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Ruffle or Pringle
Hint: A crispy snack or a wrinkled collar. Four letters, starts with C.
5. "Still unscheduled" abbr.
Hint: Three letters. What event planners write when a date hasn't been locked in.
8. "Je t'___" (French "I love you")
Hint: Four letters. The verb in the middle of the French phrase.
9. Tailor's line
Hint: Three letters. Where your pants get adjusted. Think bottom edge.
10. Eleven plus two, or twelve plus one
Hint: Eight letters. Both equations give the same number, a baker's dozen.
12. Rollaway extra for a hotel room, maybe
Hint: Three letters. A small, portable bed they bring in when the room needs more sleeping space.
13. Unit of farmland
Hint: Four letters. A standard land measurement, about the size of a football field.
14. "Eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one," e.g.
Hint: Eight letters. Both phrases use the same letters rearranged. That's the category.
16. Cheese found in spanakopita
Hint: Four letters. A crumbly white cheese from Greece. Starts with F.
17. Big tub
Hint: Three letters. Think industrial-sized container. Also a tax term.
18. Emoji used to mean "Ooh, interesting"
Hint: Four letters. The wide-eyed face emoji. Plural.
19. Messy, muddy home
Hint: Three letters. Where a pig lives.
Down Hints
1. Business with cappuccinos and cuddly kittens
Hint: Seven letters. A trendy café where you can pet adoptable cats while sipping coffee.
2. "Dear, I'm home!"
Hint: Seven letters. A classic greeting a spouse might call out walking through the door.
3. Act like
Hint: Seven letters. To mimic or copy someone's behavior.
4. The "/" in km/h
Hint: Three letters. Means "for each" or "every" in measurements.
5. Cleveland N.B.A. team, to fans
Hint: Seven letters. The Cavaliers, shortened.
6. Cardboard coaster at a pub
Hint: Seven letters. What you set your pint on. Two words, no space.
7. Legal immunity, as granted through a pardon
Hint: Seven letters. A government-granted forgiveness. Starts with A.
11. Pine ___ (slugger's sticky stuff)
Hint: Three letters. A sticky substance baseball players use on bats for grip.
15. Alternative to electric, for a stove
Hint: Three letters. Burns blue. Powers a flame.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Ruffle or Pringle
Answer: CHIP
5. "Still unscheduled" abbr.
Answer: TBA
8. "Je t'___" (French "I love you")
Answer: AIME
9. Tailor's line
Answer: HEM
10. Eleven plus two, or twelve plus one
Answer: THIRTEEN
12. Rollaway extra for a hotel room, maybe
Answer: COT
13. Unit of farmland
Answer: ACRE
14. "Eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one," e.g.
Answer: ANAGRAMS
16. Cheese found in spanakopita
Answer: FETA
17. Big tub
Answer: VAT
18. Emoji used to mean "Ooh, interesting"
Answer: EYES
19. Messy, muddy home
Answer: STY
Down Answers
1. Business with cappuccinos and cuddly kittens
Answer: CATCAFE
2. "Dear, I'm home!"
Answer: HIHONEY
3. Act like
Answer: IMITATE
4. The "/" in km/h
Answer: PER
5. Cleveland N.B.A. team, to fans
Answer: THECAVS
6. Cardboard coaster at a pub
Answer: BEERMAT
7. Legal immunity, as granted through a pardon
Answer: AMNESTY
11. Pine ___ (slugger's sticky stuff)
Answer: TAR
15. Alternative to electric, for a stove
Answer: GAS
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Eleven plus two, or twelve plus one" for THIRTEEN. This is a double-layered trick, both equations equal thirteen, but the real puzzle is that "eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one" are anagrams of each other, which connects beautifully to 14-Across (ANAGRAMS). A meta-clue inside a math problem.
Wordplay Winner: "Eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one," e.g. for ANAGRAMS. The constructor sets up 10-Across as a math clue, then reveals at 14-Across that the real trick was wordplay all along. The two clues converse with each other across the grid, that's clever construction.
Quick Fill: "The "/" in km/h" for PER. Three letters, zero ambiguity, and anyone who's read a speedometer knows this one instantly. A perfect gimme to anchor your solve.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for meta-connections between clues. When 10-Across references "eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one," and 14-Across references the same phrases, they're linked. Smart solvers recognize these cross-clue relationships early and use them to verify answers across the grid.
Short fillers are your fastest entry points. Clues like TBA, PER, VAT, COT, STY, HEM, GAS, and TAR are all three-letter answers with straightforward definitions. Knock those out first to build a scaffolding of known letters before tackling the longer, trickier entries.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops at 6 p.m. EST today, Sunday's edition arrives earlier than usual. How did today's grid treat you? The anagram wordplay between 10-Across and 14-Across was a nice reminder that crossword clues can hide puzzles within puzzles. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
