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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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QTIP is the solution because it is a brand name that has become synonymous with small cotton swabs. The clue specifies "Tiny cotton swab," perfectly describing a Q-tip, which is widely recognized for its small size and cotton tip design.
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The clue "Leaves on the stove too long" hints at what happens if food is left cooking excessively. It results in scorching or charring, which is described as "BURNS." The phrasing metaphorically uses "leaves" to imply abandonment rather than actual foliage, leading to the answer BURNS.
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The clue uses a pun. "Hunt and peck" typically describes typing, but here, it refers to birds. Birds "hunt and peck" using their BEAKS to search for and grab food, making BEAKS the fitting answer.
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The clue "I'm trying to focus here!" is in quotes, suggesting it's something someone might say. When focusing, noise can be distracting, so a common response would be asking for QUIET. This fits logically as the solution, aligning with the implied context of needing silence to concentrate.
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The answer "SEND" fits because it's the action tied to the button in emails or messages. Pressing "SEND" often triggers a "whoosh!" sound effect in many apps to indicate the message has been dispatched. The clue’s playful phrasing hints at this auditory association.
Down
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The word "QUEUE" is pronounced exactly like its first letter, "Q." Following that, the remaining letters in the word—U, E, U, and E—are all vowels, matching the clue's stipulation of "four vowels." This clever wordplay fits the clue perfectly.
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The answer is TRAIN because an extravagant wedding dress often features a long, flowing fabric extension that trails behind the bride, called a "train." This dramatic element adds elegance and grandeur, fitting the clue's description of an opulent detail in such attire.
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The clue “Signed, as a contract” refers to the act of physically signing a document, often done with ink. "Inked" is a verb meaning to mark or sign with ink, which directly ties to the process of signing a contract.
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The clue suggests a discreet way to get someone's attention, similar to a tap on the shoulder but verbal. "PSST" is a whispered sound often used to subtly draw attention without speaking aloud, fitting the context of the clue perfectly.
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The clue "Some backyard parties, for short" suggests an abbreviation. "BBQS" is a shortened form of "barbecues," which are often held in backyards as casual gatherings. The plural "parties" matches the plural "BBQS," making it the correct 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 Thursday Mini by Wyna Liu, editor of Wordle, packs some clever misdirection into a tight grid. A standout is the smart wordplay in the clue about hunting and pecking—it’s not what it first seems. A letter-based riddle and a nod to wedding fashion add extra challenge. Nice mix of everyday and unexpected!
Today's Tricky Wordplay
Here's what caught our attention today:
- Tiny cotton swab
- Leaves on the stove too long
- They're used to hunt and peck
- "I'm trying to focus here!"
- Button that might make a "Whoosh!" sound
- Word pronounced like its first letter (which is followed by four vowels)
- Feature of an extravagant wedding dress
- Signed, as a contract
- Verbal alternative to a tap on the shoulder
- Some backyard parties, for short
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.