How to Play the NYT Mini Crossword

The NYT Mini is a compact 5×5 crossword — usually ten clues total — designed to be solved in just a few minutes.

The rules

• Fill every white square so Across and Down entries match at crossings.
• Clues are numbered; an Across clue and a Down clue can share a number.
• Answers are short — often three to five letters.
• A new Mini publishes every day at midnight Eastern Time.

Quick tips

1. Start with the shortest clues — they're often the easiest entries.
2. Fill in crossing letters before guessing a long across answer.
3. Watch for fill-in-the-blank and wordplay clues; minis love puns.

Need today's grid? See today's Mini Crossword answers. Browse the Mini archive, or try Strands, Wordle, and Connections.