Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Sunday's grid brings a crisp 5x5 mix of casual vocab, brand names, and a throwback R&B hit. 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: "___ a Bad Mama Jama" (1981 R&B hit), an obscure lyric pull from 45 years ago
Gimme Clue: "Love a lot", four letters, starts with A, about as straightforward as it gets
Theme Spotted: None today, a clean mix of everyday words, brand names, and pop culture
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Dressed for bed, informally
Hint: Think cozy sleepwear. Four letters, starts with P, ends with S.
6. ___ swing (outdoor seating)
Hint: The kind of covered porch furniture you'd find on a Southern veranda. Five letters.
7. Love a lot
Hint: A five-letter synonym for "worship" or "cherish deeply." Starts with A.
8. Keep Off ___ (beach sign)
Hint: Those sandy hills you see along the shoreline that signs warn you to stay off of. Five letters.
9. Chop down, as a tree
Hint: A three-letter verb that sounds like the past tense of "hew." Old-fashioned but efficient.
Down Hints
1. Apple device that can act as a cash register
Hint: The tablet Apple sells, not a phone, not a laptop. Four letters, starts with I.
2. "Yeah, obviously!"
Hint: A four-letter dismissive phrase that starts with "NO" and ends with "UH." Think "well, duh."
3. Lying face down
Hint: A five-letter word that describes the position you're in during a massage or a nap on your stomach.
4. Abercrombie & Fitch competitor
Hint: A four-letter clothing brand known for its preppy style and whale logo. Starts with J.
5. "___ a Bad Mama Jama" (1981 R&B hit)
Hint: A four-letter feminine pronoun that starts the title of this Carl Carlton classic.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Dressed for bed, informally
Answer: INPJS
6. ___ swing (outdoor seating)
Answer: PORCH
7. Love a lot
Answer: ADORE
8. Keep Off ___ (beach sign)
Answer: DUNES
9. Chop down, as a tree
Answer: HEW
Down Answers
1. Apple device that can act as a cash register
Answer: IPAD
2. "Yeah, obviously!"
Answer: NODUH
3. Lying face down
Answer: PRONE
4. Abercrombie & Fitch competitor
Answer: JCREW
5. "___ a Bad Mama Jama" (1981 R&B hit)
Answer: SHES
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "___ a Bad Mama Jama" (1981 R&B hit) for SHES. Unless you're a Carl Carlton fan or deeply familiar with 1980s R&B deep cuts, this is a knowledge check that could stall your run cold. The intersecting letters from INPJS and JCREW help narrow it down, but it's still the grid's toughest test.
Wordplay Winner: "Dressed for bed, informally" for INPJS. The clue leans on casual abbreviation culture, "PJs" for pajamas, with "in" prefixed. It's a clever two-parter that rewards solvers who think in shorthand.
Quick Fill: "Love a lot" for ADORE. A universal five-letter synonym that requires zero specialized knowledge. It's the kind of gimme that builds momentum and confidence early in the solve.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for abbreviated and informal language. Clues like "Dressed for bed, informally" signal that the constructor is using casual shorthand (PJs). When you see "informally" in a clue, start thinking about clipped words, acronyms, or slang, it's a pattern that repeats across Mini grids.
Let the pop culture crossers do the work. The toughest clue (SHES) is solvable through its crosses: IPAD, PRONE, and HEW all give you enough letters to deduce the answer without knowing the song. When you're stuck on a niche clue, fill in everything else first and let the grid solve it for you.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tomorrow at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? Whether the Carl Carlton lyric tripped you up or you breezed through the 5x5 in under a minute, every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
