Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Sunday's grid brings a crisp five-by-five mix of clothing parts, sports seasons, and kitchen-table idioms. A fast solve with a few moments that'll make you pause and think.
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: "Soft serve alternative, familiarly", not everyone speaks the frozen-yogurt shorthand.
Gimme Clue: "Pilfered", a textbook synonym that fills itself.
Theme Spotted: None today
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Ends of dress shirt sleeves
Hint: What you'd roll up or button at your wrist. Five letters, starts with C.
6. Month when the N.B.A. and N.H.L. playoffs start, typically
Hint: Spring showers and postseason basketball both arrive this month. Five letters, starts with A.
7. Pilfered
Hint: Past-tense verb for swiping something that isn't yours. Five letters, starts with S.
8. Played (with)
Hint: Fiddled around or handled casually, often followed by "with." Five letters, starts with T.
9. "Well, isn't that the ___ calling the kettle black!"
Hint: The kitchen vessel that's accusing the kettle, a classic idiom. Three letters.
Down Hints
1. Performers in a play
Hint: The full ensemble of actors on stage. Four letters, starts with C.
2. "Gimme five!"
Hint: Slap your palm up high and say this celebratory phrase. Five letters, starts with U.
3. Soft serve alternative, familiarly
Hint: The tart, trendy frozen dessert that gives ice cream competition. Five letters, starts with F.
4. Boneless steakhouse order
Hint: The priciest cut on the menu, often wrapped in bacon. Five letters, starts with F.
5. Winter ride
Hint: No engine needed, just fresh snow and a good hill. Four letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Ends of dress shirt sleeves
Answer: CUFFS
6. Month when the N.B.A. and N.H.L. playoffs start, typically
Answer: APRIL
7. Pilfered
Answer: STOLE
8. Played (with)
Answer: TOYED
9. "Well, isn't that the ___ calling the kettle black!"
Answer: POT
Down Answers
1. Performers in a play
Answer: CAST
2. "Gimme five!"
Answer: UPTOP
3. Soft serve alternative, familiarly
Answer: FROYO
4. Boneless steakhouse order
Answer: FILET
5. Winter ride
Answer: SLED
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Month when the N.B.A. and N.H.L. playoffs start, typically" for APRIL. The clue cross-references two major sports leagues to pinpoint a single month, clever construction that rewards knowing the postseason calendar for both the hardwood and the ice.
Wordplay Winner: "Gimme five!" for UPTOP. The clue captures the celebratory high-five gesture in an energetic, colloquial phrase that maps perfectly to the answer. Clean, fun, and instantly recognizable.
Quick Fill: "Pilfered" for STOLE. A one-to-one synonym with zero ambiguity. If you know the word, you have the answer instantly.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a clue drops sports league acronyms (N.B.A., N.H.L.), think seasonally. Playoffs in both leagues consistently land in the same window every year, a reliable calendar anchor that saves you from guessing.
Idiom completions are the fastest fills in the Mini. "Pot calling the kettle black" is baked into everyday language. Spot the familiar phrase structure and lock it in, those crossing letters will unlock the rest of the grid.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? Whether the sports reference or the frozen-yogurt shorthand tripped you up, every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
