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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The answer "RSVP" fits because it represents the French phrase "Répondez s'il vous plaît," meaning "Please respond." It's commonly used to indicate whether someone will attend an event, directly connecting to the clue's request to “say whether you'll go.”
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The clue uses a pun. "Chip," "Jack," and "Betty" reference terms associated with poker: "chip" (used in betting), "Jack" (a face card), and "Betty" hints at betting or 'Betty Hutton' Poker where nines and fives are wild cards. Together, they point to POKER, a card game involving chips, cards like Jack, and betting.
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The clue "___ acid" refers to a class of organic compounds essential in biology. The answer is AMINO, as amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, containing an amino group (-NH2) and a carboxyl group (-COOH). It's a direct fit for the blank in this scientific context.
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The "beginning of a joke" refers to the setup, which is the initial part of a joke that establishes the scenario or premise before the punchline delivers the humor. In comedy, the setup is crucial for framing the joke.
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The clue "Mix, as a salad" refers to the common action of combining the ingredients of a salad. The verb "TOSS" is often used to describe this action, like tossing lettuce and dressing together. Hence, "TOSS" directly fits the clue as the correct solution.
Down
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ROMEO is the "doomed Shakespearean lover" because he is one of the main characters in Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Romeo falls deeply in love with Juliet, but their love story ends tragically due to their feuding families, making him a classic example of a doomed romantic figure.
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The clue "Short comedic performances" directly defines the answer "SKITS." Skits are brief, humorous theatrical pieces or sketches, aligning perfectly with "short comedic performances." The term specifically describes concise and comedic dramatizations, making it the ideal solution to this straightforward clue.
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VENUS is the correct answer because it is covered by thick clouds primarily composed of sulfuric acid. The presence of sulfur compounds causes a smell similar to rotten eggs. Known for its hostile environment, Venus's atmosphere is toxic, making it fit the description in the clue.
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In the clue, "Support, with 'up'," the phrase "prop up" means to physically or metaphorically support something. A "prop" is a tool or object used to hold something in position, aligning perfectly with the definition of support when paired with "up."
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The answer is PAST because it completes the lyric from the song "Let It Go" in Disney's Frozen: "I'm never going back, the past is in the past." This line reflects leaving behind old struggles, fitting the theme of moving forward and letting go.
Today’s Game Difficulty
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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
This Tuesday Mini by Joel Fagliano marks the second day in a row of smoother, easier puzzles—a welcome shift after last week’s tricky grids. It touches on Shakespeare, chemistry, card games, and Disney, all with clean, accessible clues. A quick and satisfying solve!
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.