NY Times Crossword
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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The answer "TAI" fits because "tai chi" is a well-known form of Chinese martial art practiced for its health benefits and meditation. The blank in the clue "__ chi" signals the missing first part of the term, which is "TAI," completing the phrase "tai chi."
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The clue "Financially compensated" directly points to a word meaning someone has received money for goods or services. "PAID" is the past tense of "pay," which means to provide financial compensation, making it the correct and straightforward solution.
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The clue ends with a question mark, signaling a playful or pun-based answer. "Off the top of your head" suggests something literally on your head, your hair. The plural "things" and the wordplay point to HAIRS, as they are small strands found "off the top" of your head.
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"Feels sick" suggests a verb meaning to suffer from illness or discomfort. "AILS" perfectly fits this definition, as it means to cause physical or mental trouble or illness, often used to express feeling unwell in a general sense. Additionally, it matches the clue's simplicity and tense.
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The answer is MRS because in the board game Clue, Mrs. Peacock is one of the iconic characters. The title "MRS." indicates her marital status and aligns with the clue's format, as the blank precedes "Peacock," signifying her full name within the game context.
Down
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"Coin flip call" refers to the two possible choices when flipping a coin: "heads" or "tails." TAILS is the answer, as it is one of the standard outcomes called out during a coin flip to predict the result.
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The clue "Shows on TV" hints at broadcasting content. The answer "AIRS" refers to the process of programs being broadcast or shown on television. "Airs" is commonly used to describe when TV shows are transmitted to viewers, making it a fitting solution.
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"IDS" is the solution because bartenders often request identification (IDs) to verify age before serving alcohol. "Informally" in the clue hints at the abbreviation "IDs" rather than the full term "identifications," making it a concise and fitting answer.
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In poker, a "decent" hand typically refers to a hand with some value but not overly strong. A "PAIR" (two cards of the same rank) is a common and moderately good hand in poker, hence fitting the clue "Decent poker holding" perfectly.
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The answer "HAM" refers to a person who overacts or exaggerates their behavior, often to draw attention to themselves, particularly in performance settings. It's commonly used to describe someone who craves the spotlight and enjoys being the center of attention, fitting perfectly with the clue.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Easy
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Hit a roadblock solving today's NYT The Mini? Lady Puzzle is happy to lend a hand. Click her for hints, reveal the entire puzzle, uncover squares one by one, or explore clue answers. Whatever solving style you prefer, this is your go-to tool for finishing NYT's The Mini Crossword!
Today’s NYT Mini Highlights
Today’s Thursday Mini by Joel Fagliano is a masterclass in how the Mini is increasingly mirroring the main NYT Daily Crossword, especially when it comes to Thursday-style trickery. Just like the full-sized Thursday puzzle often features wordplay, gimmicks, or visual themes, this Mini brings a clever vowel constraint: the entire grid uses only the vowels A and I, and every instance of AI is symmetrically crisscrossed. It’s a subtle constraint, not called out explicitly, but once noticed, it transforms the puzzle into a tight construction feat. This is proof that the Mini isn’t just a warm-up, it’s becoming a true playground for inventive, compact puzzlecraft.
Today's Tricky Wordplay
Here's what caught our attention today:
- Some things off the top of your head?
- ___ Peacock, character in Clue
- Decent poker holding
- Person who loves attention
What is NYT The Mini Crossword?
NYT The Mini Crossword is a compact version of the New York Times Crossword puzzle. Usually 5 x 5, with larger grids on Saturdays, it offers mid-week equivalent difficulty clues with no progression over the week. It is accessible to anyone with or without a New York Times account. You can play it on nytimes.com/crosswords, The New York Times Games app (iOS and Android), and the Play tab of the New York Times News app. Games and All Access Subscribers can solve past Mini Crossword puzzles in the archive.
Daily Availability
Puzzles are accessible the evening before the publish date. Weekday and Saturday puzzles: 10 p.m. EST the previous day. Sunday puzzles: 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Today's NYT Puzzle Guides by LadyPuzzle Pro
- Today's Wordle
- Connections Hint Today
- NYT Crossword Answers Today
- Strands Answers Today
- Spelling Bee Hints
- Connections Sports Edition (The Athletic)
How to Play - Features and Tips
Fill white squares with letters to form intersecting words or phrases by solving clues in Across and Down columns. Read our guide to NYT Mini Mastery to learn how to read the different types of clues. Successfully completed puzzle triggers music and a congratulatory message.
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Arrow keys: Change direction within the same square, move in the direction of the arrow, jump back to the first blank in the word, or jump to the next clue.
- Spacebar: Clear the current square, advance, or toggle between Across and Down.
- Backspace (Delete on Macs): Remove words or a letter from a word.
- Tab key: Jump to the next clue.
- Shift + Tab keys: Jump to the previous clue.
- Escape: Enter Rebus mode.
- Pen and Pencil Modes. Switch between pen and pencil modes by selecting the respective icon. Letters in pen mode are black; in pencil mode, gray.
Letter Colors
Black: Default pen mode entries.
Gray: Pencil mode entries.
Blue: Confirmed letters with Check.
Mini Timer
Time your solving with the timer displayed above the puzzle. Pause/resume using the respective buttons. The timer restarts if the entire puzzle is cleared. Option to hide the timer in Puzzle settings.
In-game Help
- Reveal: Unveil correct letters for a square, answer, or the entire puzzle.
- Check: Verify correctness.
The answers you get using help are marked with a red triangle in the upper right-hand corner of the box while those confirmed with a check become blue.
Leaderboards
It’s an additional social resource provided by NYT. You can add friends (up to 100 invitees) to track daily completion and compete.