Today's NYT Mini Crossword is live, and Wednesday's grid brings a clean 5x5 mix of museum trivia, lunchtime lingo, and emoji shorthand. 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: 4D "Medication order from a doctor, for short", medical shorthand that's easy to overthink
Gimme Clue: 5D "Like many children when meeting their parents' friends", a universal social experience in three letters
Theme Spotted: None today, a straightforward Wednesday grid with varied categories
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. What the Louvre Pyramid is primarily made of
Hint: I.M. Pei's iconic Parisian pyramid. Transparent and fragile. Five letters.
6. All that and a bag of chips, perhaps?
Hint: Midday meal. Five letters. Starts with L.
7. Red face emoji
Hint: The red-faced emoji. Same word describes a furious person. Five letters.
8. Timbuktu's country
Hint: West African nation. Also a popular Scrabble word. Four letters.
9. Kitchen work before cooking
Hint: Chopping, dicing, slicing, the prep work. Four letters.
Down Hints
1. Enjoy an outdoor vacation with extra amenities
Hint: Camping upgraded. "Glamorous" + "camping" smashed together. Five letters.
2. Moon-related
Hint: Think lunar eclipse, lunar surface. Five letters. Starts with L.
3. Something that can be "acute" or "obtuse"
Hint: Geometry class. The corner where two lines meet. Five letters.
4. Medication order from a doctor, for short
Hint: Pharmacy shorthand. A written prescription. Five letters. Starts with S.
5. Like many children when meeting their parents' friends
Hint: Timid. Bashful. Three letters. Starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. What the Louvre Pyramid is primarily made of
Answer: GLASS
6. All that and a bag of chips, perhaps?
Answer: LUNCH
7. Red face emoji
Answer: ANGRY
8. Timbuktu's country
Answer: MALI
9. Kitchen work before cooking
Answer: PREP
Down Answers
1. Enjoy an outdoor vacation with extra amenities
Answer: GLAMP
2. Moon-related
Answer: LUNAR
3. Something that can be "acute" or "obtuse"
Answer: ANGLE
4. Medication order from a doctor, for short
Answer: SCRIP
5. Like many children when meeting their parents' friends
Answer: SHY
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 4D "Medication order from a doctor, for short" for SCRIP. This is a tight bit of crosswordese, "scrip" is the clipped form of "prescription," and it's the kind of abbreviation that rewards solvers who know pharmacy shorthand. Easy to overthink into "PILLS" or "DRUGS."
Wordplay Winner: 6A "All that and a bag of chips, perhaps?" for LUNCH. The clue plays on the idiom "all that and a bag of chips" (meaning exceptional) while literally pointing to what you'd carry, a lunch. Clean misdirection that lands perfectly.
Quick Fill: 5D "Like many children when meeting their parents' friends" for SHY. Three letters, universal experience, zero ambiguity. The kind of clue that gives you a foothold to crack the rest of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for portmanteaus in Down clues. "GLAMP" (1D) blends "glamorous" and "camping", a modern term that's become crossword-regular. If a clue sounds like a mashup, trust the pattern.
Geography gimmes lock in corners fast. "MALI" (8A) is a crossword staple, short, vowel-heavy country names (CHAD, LAOS, FIJI) are frequent fill. Learn the common four-letter nations and you'll clear those squares instantly.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Mini drops tonight at 10 p.m. EST. How did today's grid treat you? Whether you breezed through GLASS and LUNAR or got stuck on SCRIP, every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
