This clue asks for a word that fits in front of MO, ON, LI, and FE to form common phrases. The answer is HALF: HALF MOON, HALF ON, HALF LITER, HALF IRON. The clue is tricky because it references other clues, so you have to solve those first and then spot the pattern.
5Remy's brother in "Ratatouille"EMILE?????✨ See Why
The clue refers to the 2007 Pixar film "Ratatouille". Remy is the protagonist, a rat with a passion for cooking. His brother, EMILE, plays a supporting role as a friendly, food-loving rat. EMILE is the correct answer because he is explicitly named as Remy's brother in the movie.
7Missouri's postal abbreviationMO??✨ See Why
The clue "Missouri's postal abbreviation" is asking for the official two-letter code used by the United States Postal Service to represent the state of Missouri. The correct abbreviation for Missouri is "MO," as standardized by the USPS for state identification.
8Light switch positionON??✨ See Why
The answer "ON" fits the clue "Light switch position" because a light switch typically has two main positions: ON (to activate the light) and OFF (to deactivate it). The clue directly asks for one of these positions, and "ON" is the operational position for the switch.
9Done for laughsINFUN?????✨ See Why
The clue "Done for laughs" implies something undertaken with humor or a playful intent. "In fun" directly translates to doing something lightheartedly or jokingly, perfectly aligning with the meaning of the clue. The answer, INFUN, fits this definition, making it a spot-on solution.
11GERE????✨ See Why
The answer is GERE because Richard Gere starred as the lead male character, Edward Lewis, in the popular 1990 romantic comedy film "Pretty Woman" alongside Julia Roberts. The clue references his first name and the film to point to this famous actor.
Down
1Prefix that means 1-AcrossHEMI????✨ See Why
The clue "Prefix that means 1-Across" requires us to reference the answer to 1-Across. Since 1-Across is "half," the prefix "HEMI-" fits perfectly, as it originates from the Greek "hemi," meaning "half." This explains why HEMI is the solution to this clue.
2In the midst ofAMONG?????✨ See Why
The clue "In the midst of" directly suggests being surrounded by or included within something. AMONG means being encircled or part of a group or setting, perfectly aligning with this definition, making it the correct answer. This is a straightforward, non-pun clue.
3Super Bowl that featured a 28-3 comeback win by the PatriotsLI??✨ See Why
The answer "LI" refers to Super Bowl LI (51 in Roman numerals), where the New England Patriots made a historic 28-3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in 2017. Roman numerals are traditionally used to denote Super Bowl editions, and LI represents the 51st Super Bowl.
4FLOUR?????✨ See Why
The clue "Baker's powder" straightforwardly refers to FLOUR, a powdered ingredient essential for baking. Flour is commonly used in baking to create doughs and batters. The word "powder" directly describes its fine, ground texture, making FLOUR the fitting solution.
6Dated feminine suffixENNE????✨ See Why
The suffix "ENNE" historically signified feminine forms of words, often in French-derived terms such as "comedienne" (female comedian) or "authoress." The clue includes "dated" because using such gendered suffixes is now considered outdated or unnecessary. Thus, "ENNE" fits as the answer for "Dated feminine suffix."
10Iron, on the periodic tableFE??✨ See Why
The chemical symbol for iron on the periodic table is "Fe." This abbreviation comes from the Latin word "ferrum," which means iron. In the periodic table, each element is represented by a one- or two-letter symbol, and "Fe" is assigned to iron.
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!
This Friday Mini by Joel Fagliano stands out for its tight, dense construction: 12 clues packed into a 5x5 grid is unusual and impressive. To fit that many, Joel uses several very short answers, msome just two letters long, squeezed efficiently across the puzzle. What makes it even more special is the first clue, which cross-references four others, turning the solving experience into a kind of mini-theme hunt. It’s a clever structural trick that adds challenge and makes this Mini feel bigger than it is.
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.
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.