Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Thursday's grid brings a tight 5x5 mix of pop culture, literary trivia, and sharp wordplay. 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: 4A: "Mark who wrote 'Man was made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired'", requires literary knowledge and a willingness to parse a dense Twain quote.
Gimme Clue: 3D: "Lowest numbers in sudoku", if you've ever played sudoku, this is a freebie.
Theme Spotted: None today, a grab bag of trivia, pop culture, and clever cluing.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Not such a wild place to see an elephant
Hint: Think urban wildlife. Three letters, starts with Z.
4A. Mark who wrote "Man was made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired"
Hint: A famous American author and humorist. Five letters, starts with T.
6A. Symbol on the U.S. quarter
Hint: National bird. Five letters, starts with E.
7A. Parts of a dental exam
Hint: Doctors use these to see what's beneath the surface. Five letters, starts with X.
8A. What Wile E. Coyote is always exploding himself with
Hint: Acme's explosive of choice. Three letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. Big name in restaurant ratings
Hint: The gold standard for dining reviews. Five letters, starts with Z.
2D. Like your hands after eating potato chips, perhaps
Hint: Greasy. Four letters, starts with O.
3D. Lowest numbers in sudoku
Hint: They come before twos. Four letters, starts with O.
4D. Reach out with your fingers?
Hint: What you're doing on your phone right now. Four letters, starts with T.
5D. Give an alert
Hint: Sound the alarm. Four letters, starts with W.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1A. Not such a wild place to see an elephant
Answer: ZOO
4A. Mark who wrote "Man was made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired"
Answer: TWAIN
6A. Symbol on the U.S. quarter
Answer: EAGLE
7A. Parts of a dental exam
Answer: XRAYS
8A. What Wile E. Coyote is always exploding himself with
Answer: TNT
Down Answers
1D. Big name in restaurant ratings
Answer: ZAGAT
2D. Like your hands after eating potato chips, perhaps
Answer: OILY
3D. Lowest numbers in sudoku
Answer: ONES
4D. Reach out with your fingers?
Answer: TEXT
5D. Give an alert
Answer: WARN
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 4A "Mark who wrote 'Man was made at the end of the week's work, when God was tired'" for TWAIN. That's a deep-cut Mark Twain quote, and the clue's length alone signals this is the puzzle's heavyweight. If you know Twain's wit, the answer clicks. If not, the crossing letters from ZAGAT and XRAYS will bail you out.
Wordplay Winner: 4D "Reach out with your fingers?" for TEXT. A textbook example of the Mini's love for punny misdirection. "Reach out" sounds physical, but in 2026, reaching out means pulling out your phone and typing. Clean, clever, and instantly satisfying once it lands.
Quick Fill: 3D "Lowest numbers in sudoku" for ONES. If you've played even one sudoku puzzle, you know the 1s are the first numbers you place. Zero brainpower required, a gift entry that gets you rolling.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Look for three-letter gimmes to anchor your grid. ZOO and TNT are instant fills that give you critical crossing letters for trickier entries like ZAGAT and TWAIN. Start with the short stuff.
Watch for question-mark clues, they signal wordplay. 4D "Reach out with your fingers?" uses the question mark to flag a pun. When you see that punctuation, think laterally, not literally.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? Whether Twain had you stumped or TEXT snapped into place instantly, every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
