NY Times Crossword
NY Times Wordle
NY Times Connections
NY Times Connections Sports Edition
NY Times Strands
NY Times Spelling Bee
NY Times Pips
Word Salad
Contexto
Blossom
Betweenle
Conexo
Bracket City
Fluxis
Stacks
Atlantic Crossword
LA Times Mini
LA Times Crossword
Anagram Solver
Scrabble Word Finder
Words With Friends Word Finder
Atlantic Games
LA Times
Zorzzle
Word of Fortune
Browser Extension
NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
-
The clue signals the answer is a sound. "ZAP" mimics the electric sound heard when a mosquito is electrocuted by a bug zapper. This onomatopoeic word captures the abrupt, sharp noise of the electrocution process, perfectly aligning with the clue.
-
The answer is ZINE because a "zine" is a small-circulation, self-published work often focused on niche topics or communities. It’s typically produced in small batches, aligning perfectly with the clue's description of a "niche publication printed in small batches." The term derives from "magazine" but emphasizes DIY culture.
-
The answer is ZELDA because Princess Zelda is a central character in Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" video game series. She is depicted as the princess of Hyrule and often plays a key role in the games' narratives, making her synonymous with the term "Nintendo princess."
-
ORCS are malevolent creatures from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." They are evil beings bred by dark forces like Sauron to serve as soldiers and carry out destruction. The clue directly refers to these infamous antagonists in the fantasy series, making ORCS the apt answer.
-
The clue "Cry of delight" suggests an exclamation or sound that expresses happiness or awe. "OOH" is a typical nonverbal reaction to excitement, wonder, or admiration, fitting perfectly as a "cry" of delight. This matches the spoken, emotional context hinted at by the clue.
Down
-
The clue "Zip" can mean "nothing" or "zero" informally, which matches the meaning of ZILCH. Both refer to the absence of something, and "Zip" is often used as slang for "zero," making ZILCH the appropriate answer.
-
The phrase "No ifs, ___ or buts" is a common idiom meaning "no excuses or exceptions." The missing word is "ands," completing the phrase. Crossword clues in quotes often signify common sayings or phrases, and "ands" perfectly fits this well-known expression.
-
The clue "Sphere in a stir-fry" points to something small, round, and commonly found in stir-fries. Peas are green, spherical vegetables often included in such dishes, fitting both the "sphere" description and the stir-fry context perfectly. Hence, the answer is PEA.
-
The clue "Zip" refers to a synonym for "nothing" or "none," as in "zero." It plays on the informal use of "zip" to signify the absence of something, aligning with the numerical representation of "zero." This double meaning makes ZERO the correct answer.
-
The clue signals a playful comparison. Parents with toddlers might liken their household to a ZOO because of the chaos, noise, and energy often present—similar to the bustling and wild environment of an animal zoo. It’s a humorous metaphor for busy family life.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Normal
Rate Your Difficulty
Rate This Solver
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
This Thursday Mini by Christia Iverson has a fun and lively feel, with a noticeable pattern—lots of Z-words! That’s a rare and playful touch, making the grid stand out. Some of the trickier entries include the two different meanings of "Zip" leading to ZILCH and ZERO, which could trip solvers up. ZINE, a less common word for a small, independent publication, might also slow some people down. The mix of pop culture, wordplay, and everyday language makes this one an engaging mid-week challenge.
Today's Tricky Wordplay
Here's what caught our attention today:
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.
For years, the Mini was free to play daily without a subscription. However, starting August 27, 2025, it became subscriber-only. This change has frustrated many fans, especially as the Mini had grown more ambitious, incorporating themes, wordplay tricks, linked clues, and even echoing entries from the Daily Crossword. In hindsight, these evolutions may have been the Times’ way of positioning the Mini closer to its flagship puzzle.
Here on our page, access is still free, and we also feature the most complete Mini archive and solving resources available anywhere.
We also offer a fresh daily game, Word of Fortune, inspired by Mini-style clues and blending features from other favorites: players must guess a single word from a clue, with the option to spin a wheel for letter hints.
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 Pips Today - Hints & Solutions
- 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.