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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The answer "EBB" fits because it directly refers to the natural movement of the tide as it recedes or flows outward. "Ebb" is a term frequently used to describe the retreat of water during low tide.
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The answer is SMURF because Smurfs are well-known fictional blue creatures from the animated franchise. A new Smurfs movie released in July 2025, and Rihanna, James Corden, or Nick Offerman could voice characters in such a film, matching the clue's description of these animated creatures.
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The answer is PALEO because the Paleo diet is inspired by the eating habits of prehistoric humans during the Paleolithic era. It emphasizes consuming whole foods like meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables while avoiding processed foods, resembling what early humans might have eaten.
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The clue "It's tough to digest" uses wordplay. FIBER, found in foods like vegetables and grains, is physically tough to break down and digest in the body, often aiding digestion instead. The phrasing hints at its dual meaning—literally tough and related to digestion.
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The clue "Trippy drug, for short" refers to a hallucinogenic drug. "Trippy" hints at causing hallucinations, and "for short" signals an abbreviation. LSD, short for lysergic acid diethylamide, is a well-known hallucinogen that can cause "trippy" experiences, making it the correct answer.
Down
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The clue refers to a common way of starting a message. "Hope you are well" is a standard and polite opening phrase often used in written formal or semi-formal communication, like an EMAIL. Hence, EMAIL is the solution, as it fits the context perfectly.
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The clue "Future tulips" hints at what tulips grow from. Tulips grow from bulbs, which are underground storage organs planted to eventually produce the flower. The word "future" emphasizes the growth process, making BULBS the accurate answer.
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The answer is BREED because Munchkin and Maine Coon are both types of cat breeds. This straightforward clue refers to the category or classification these specific types of cats belong to. Hence, "BREED" is the correct solution.
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SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is the number commonly displayed on sunscreen bottles. It measures the level of protection the product offers against UVB rays, indicating how much longer someone can stay in the sun without burning compared to no sunscreen. This explains why "No. on a sunscreen bottle" is SPF.
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In this context, "Supportive of" directly aligns with the meaning of "FOR." To be "FOR" something means to advocate for, endorse, or support it. This simple synonym effectively connects the clue and the answer.
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
Today’s Friday Mini by Christina Iverson offers a well-rounded mix of topics, making it a fun and balanced solve. You’ll find nods to nature, health, and everyday routines, alongside some language and pop culture touches. Nothing feels out of reach, but there’s enough variety to keep you on your toes. A nice end-of-week puzzle that blends accessibility with just a hint of 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.