Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Saturday's grid brings a tech-savvy mix of social media references and digital culture with some classic wordplay. 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: 8x8
Total Clues: 21 (11 Across, 10 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Symbol next to a tainted record" (4D)
Gimme Clue: "Feeling down" (11A)
Theme Spotted: None today
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Tapioca pearls
Hint: Bubble tea ingredient, four letters
5A. Disappear into thin air
Hint: Magic trick verb, six letters
7A. "C'mon, we expect more from you"
Hint: Two-word encouragement, eight letters total
9A. Dangerous, as a winter sidewalk
Hint: Slippery condition, three letters
10A. Social media ___ (what we're in now)
Hint: Current period, three letters
11A. Feeling down
Hint: Opposite of happy, three letters
12A. Director Howard
Hint: First name of "Solo" director, three letters
13A. Nightlife for which Miami is famous
Hint: Dancing scene activity, eight letters
16A. Cause of early aging
Hint: Workplace pressure, six letters
17A. The sun in "sunnyside up"
Hint: Egg part, four letters
Down Hints
1D. New parent's reason for canceling plans
Hint: Two-word responsibility, eight letters total
2D. 4/4
Hint: Musical time signature, three letters
3D. Fraction of a byte
Hint: Computer data unit, three letters
4D. Symbol next to a tainted record
Hint: Sports record qualifier, eight letters
5D. Singer's contribution to a song
Hint: What the lead vocalist provides, six letters
6D. Long-necked birds
Hint: Wading birds, six letters
7D. ___ golf
Hint: Frisbee sport, four letters
8D. Sounded, as a doorbell
Hint: Past tense of ring, four letters
14D. "Dude!"
Hint: Casual greeting, three letters
15D. ___ Air (neighborhood in L.A.)
Hint: First part of "Bel Air", three letters
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
-- --
-- --
-- --
-- --
-- --
-- --
-- --
Across Answers
1A. Tapioca pearls
Answer: BOBA
5A. Disappear into thin air
Answer: VANISH
7A. "C'mon, we expect more from you"
Answer: DOBETTER
9A. Dangerous, as a winter sidewalk
Answer: ICY
10A. Social media ___ (what we're in now)
Answer: ERA
11A. Feeling down
Answer: SAD
12A. Director Howard
Answer: RON
13A. Nightlife for which Miami is famous
Answer: CLUBBING
16A. Cause of early aging
Answer: STRESS
17A. The sun in "sunnyside up"
Answer: YOLK
Down Answers
1D. New parent's reason for canceling plans
Answer: BABYDUTY
2D. 4/4
Answer: ONE
3D. Fraction of a byte
Answer: BIT
4D. Symbol next to a tainted record
Answer: ASTERISK
5D. Singer's contribution to a song
Answer: VOCALS
6D. Long-necked birds
Answer: HERONS
7D. ___ golf
Answer: DISC
8D. Sounded, as a doorbell
Answer: RANG
14D. "Dude!"
Answer: BRO
15D. ___ Air (neighborhood in L.A.)
Answer: BEL
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Symbol next to a tainted record" for ASTERISK. This clue requires sports knowledge - asterisks mark records achieved under questionable circumstances, like Barry Bonds' home run record.
Wordplay Winner: "The sun in 'sunnyside up'" for YOLK. Clever visual wordplay comparing egg yolk appearance to the sun.
Quick Fill: "Feeling down" for SAD. Straightforward three-letter answer that most solvers will get instantly.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for tech/digital culture clues - today's puzzle featured BOBA (bubble tea), BIT (computer term), and SOCIAL MEDIA ERA. These contemporary references appear frequently in modern crosswords.
Recognize common crossword patterns: THREE-LETTER answers like SAD, ICY, ERA, RON, and BRO appear regularly as grid fillers. Master these to speed through sections.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? The mix of digital culture (BOBA, BIT) and classic wordplay (YOLK as "sun") kept things fresh. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
