Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Saturday's grid brings a 7x7 challenge packed with mythology, geography, and legal history. 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: 16 (8 Across, 8 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "New Delhi or New York", it's a big-picture category, not a specific city name
Gimme Clue: "Pig's nose"
Theme Spotted: None today, a general-knowledge grab bag
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. The "S" of H.S.: Abbr.
Hint: Think about what H.S. stands for, it's a school abbreviation.
4. King with a golden touch
Hint: Greek mythology's richest ruler, everything he touched turned to gold.
6. New Delhi or New York
Hint: A broad category describing both. Think population and scale.
8. Raggedy ___ doll
Hint: The classic red-haired rag doll's middle name.
9. Landmark Supreme Court case overturned by Dobbs
Hint: A three-letter abbreviation from the early 1970s. Landmark abortion rights decision.
10. Segment of a train
Hint: Not the engine or the caboose, the part in between that carries passengers or cargo.
12. Pig's nose
Hint: An animal body part. Five letters, rhymes with "grout."
13. Place for an intuitive feeling
Hint: Three letters. Where your "gut feeling" lives.
Down Hints
1. Author's event
Hint: Where a writer meets fans and signs copies of their book.
2. Public health agcy.
Hint: The three-letter acronym for the Atlanta-based federal health agency.
3. Barbershop offering
Hint: A service, not a product. What a barber gives you when you sit in the chair.
4. ___ Tirith, capital of Gondor in the "Lord of the Rings" books
Hint: White city, seven levels. Starts with M, ends with S.
5. Short-tailed weasel
Hint: A small mammal. Five letters, also the name of a car model.
6. Place to order drinks
Hint: Three letters. You pull up a stool and order a beer.
7. "___ out!" (umpire's shout)
Hint: Three letters. The umpire's dramatic call, think baseball slang.
11. Guitarist Reed
Hint: Three letters. The Velvet Underground legend.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. The "S" of H.S.: Abbr.
Answer: SCH
4. King with a golden touch
Answer: MIDAS
6. New Delhi or New York
Answer: BIGCITY
8. Raggedy ___ doll
Answer: ANN
9. Landmark Supreme Court case overturned by Dobbs
Answer: ROE
10. Segment of a train
Answer: RAILCAR
12. Pig's nose
Answer: SNOUT
13. Place for an intuitive feeling
Answer: GUT
Down Answers
1. Author's event
Answer: SIGNING
2. Public health agcy.
Answer: CDC
3. Barbershop offering
Answer: HAIRCUT
4. ___ Tirith, capital of Gondor in the "Lord of the Rings" books
Answer: MINAS
5. Short-tailed weasel
Answer: STOAT
6. Place to order drinks
Answer: BAR
7. "___ out!" (umpire's shout)
Answer: YER
11. Guitarist Reed
Answer: LOU
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "New Delhi or New York" for BIGCITY. The misdirection is clean, solvers immediately think of specific city names (Delhi? York?), but the answer is the category that unites them. Classic crossword misdirection executed well.
Wordplay Winner: "King with a golden touch" for MIDAS. It's a direct mythological reference, but the wording "golden touch" is what makes it click. No abbreviation tricks, no anagrams, just pure knowledge and instant recognition.
Quick Fill: "Pig's nose" for SNOUT. It's concrete, obvious, and five letters fit cleanly. The kind of clue that rewards you for thinking of the most literal answer first.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When you see a clue like "New Delhi or New York," don't lock onto proper nouns immediately. Step back and ask what category connects them. Saturday puzzles love broad-concept clues that test your ability to see the forest, not the trees.
Short three-letter answers (SCH, ANN, ROE, GUT, CDC, BAR, YER, LOU) dominate the intersections in this grid. If you can nail those first, the longer answers like BIGCITY and RAILCAR fill themselves in. Always prioritize short fill on a 7x7, it's the scaffolding that holds the whole grid together.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? Between Greek kings, Tolkien capitals, and Supreme Court history, this Saturday puzzle demanded a broad knowledge base. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
