Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Saturday's 7x7 grid brings a mix of pop culture, wordplay, and a sports pun that'll make you groan in the best way. 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: 7x7
Total Clues: 17 (10 Across, 7 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Where Bills often pass?", a sports/geography pun that'll test your NFL knowledge
Gimme Clue: "Shape of a stop sign", if you've seen an intersection, you know this
Theme Spotted: Animal-adjacent
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Toy brand that sells a nearly five-foot-tall Eiffel Tower, consisting of 10,001 pieces
Hint: Those satisfying plastic bricks. Four letters.
5. Submarine navigation aid
Hint: Sound waves underwater. Five letters, starts with S.
6. Boy in "The Jungle Book"
Hint: Raised by wolves, friends with Baloo. Six letters.
7. Where Bills often pass?
Hint: Think NFL team + a New York city. Seven letters.
8. Shape of a stop sign
Hint: Eight sides, eight letters.
9. "Well, ___ you have it!"
Hint: "And ___ you go!" Five letters.
10. Sharpened, as one's skills
Hint: Refined, polished, whet. Five letters.
Down Hints
1. Discounted payment for a plane ticket
Hint: Budget airlines specialize in this. Seven letters.
2. Soon to be married
Hint: Ring on the finger, date on the calendar. Seven letters.
3. Pico de ___
Hint: A rooster in Spanish, also a famous poet. Five letters.
4. Hunter with a belt made of stars
Hint: Look up on a clear winter night. Five letters.
5. Get mushy at room temperature, as butter
Hint: Leave it on the counter. Six letters.
6. A lot, in Spanish
Hint: "Much" with an O. Five letters.
7. This one and that one
Hint: Two items, together. Four letters.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Toy brand that sells a nearly five-foot-tall Eiffel Tower, consisting of 10,001 pieces
Answer: LEGO
5. Submarine navigation aid
Answer: SONAR
6. Boy in "The Jungle Book"
Answer: MOWGLI
7. Where Bills often pass?
Answer: BUFFALO
8. Shape of a stop sign
Answer: OCTAGON
9. "Well, ___ you have it!"
Answer: THERE
10. Sharpened, as one's skills
Answer: HONED
Down Answers
1. Discounted payment for a plane ticket
Answer: LOWFARE
2. Soon to be married
Answer: ENGAGED
3. Pico de ___
Answer: GALLO
4. Hunter with a belt made of stars
Answer: ORION
5. Get mushy at room temperature, as butter
Answer: SOFTEN
6. A lot, in Spanish
Answer: MUCHO
7. This one and that one
Answer: BOTH
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Where Bills often pass?" for BUFFALO. This is a textbook example of crossword misdirection, "Bills" could mean currency or legislation, but it's actually an NFL team, and "pass" refers to a football play in Buffalo, New York. That's a lot of clever layering for seven letters.
Wordplay Winner: "Discounted payment for a plane ticket" for LOWFARE. Straightforward enough to feel like a gimme once you see it, but the compound word construction is satisfying. Low fare = cheap flight. Clean, efficient cluing.
Quick Fill: "A lot, in Spanish" for MUCHO. If you've taken Spanish 101 or watched any TV show with dramatic pauses, this one fills itself. Five letters, no tricks.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for capitalized words in clues, "Bills" and "Eiffel Tower" signal proper nouns or brand names. That's your shortcut to LEGO and BUFFALO without overthinking the wordplay.
Fill in the gimmes first. OCTAGON and MUCHO are instant solves that give you crossing letters for trickier entries like MOWGLI and LOWFARE. Let the grid work for you.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops at 6 p.m. EST today, Sunday's puzzle arrives earlier than the weekday editions. How did today's grid treat you? That Buffalo Bills pun was a highlight, and the animal-adjacent theme gave the puzzle a fun through-line. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
