Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Sunday's grid brings a clever black-and-white animal theme with some musical abbreviations. 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: 5x5
Total Clues: 10 (5 Across, 5 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 5A: "Genre for Olivia Dean and Daniel Caesar" (requires music genre abbreviation knowledge)
Gimme Clue: 4A: "Highway division" (straightforward everyday term)
Theme Spotted: Black-and-white animals that resemble crossword grids
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. "I said so, that's why!"
Hint: Casual abbreviation for "because"
4A. Highway division
Hint: What separates traffic on a road
5A. Genre for Olivia Dean and Daniel Caesar
Hint: Music genre abbreviation, two letters
6A. French "to have"
Hint: Common French verb, starts with A
7A. Animal that would blend in well with a crossword grid
Hint: Black-and-white bear from China
Down Hints
1D. Officially accepted storylines
Hint: Established lore in fiction
2D. Reversed
Hint: Past tense of "undo"
3D. Animal that would blend in well with a crossword grid
Hint: Black-and-white striped African animal
4D. Molten flow
Hint: What comes out of volcanoes
5D. Flow over a beat
Hint: Music style, three letters
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. "I said so, that's why!"
Answer: CUZ
4A. Highway division
Answer: LANE
5A. Genre for Olivia Dean and Daniel Caesar
Answer: RANDB
6A. French "to have"
Answer: AVOIR
7A. Animal that would blend in well with a crossword grid
Answer: PANDA
Down Answers
1D. Officially accepted storylines
Answer: CANON
2D. Reversed
Answer: UNDID
3D. Animal that would blend in well with a crossword grid
Answer: ZEBRA
4D. Molten flow
Answer: LAVA
5D. Flow over a beat
Answer: RAP
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 5A "Genre for Olivia Dean and Daniel Caesar" for RANDB. This clue requires specific knowledge of contemporary R&B artists and the abbreviation format, making it the puzzle's toughest entry.
Wordplay Winner: The dual animal clues (7A and 3D) for PANDA and ZEBRA. The clever connection between crossword grids and black-and-white animals shows the constructor's playful thinking.
Quick Fill: 4A "Highway division" for LANE. This everyday term with no wordplay tricks serves as the puzzle's anchor point for quick solvers.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for abbreviation patterns: Today's puzzle features both "CUZ" and "RANDB" as abbreviations. When you see short clues with casual phrasing, think about common abbreviations.
Spot thematic connections: The dual animal clues (PANDA and ZEBRA) share the same description. When you solve one, immediately check if the same pattern applies elsewhere in the grid.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tomorrow at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? The black-and-white animal theme and music abbreviations made for a balanced Sunday challenge. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
