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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints

Across

  • In Latin, "sinister" originally meant "left" or "on the left side." Over time, it gained a negative connotation, influencing its modern meaning. The clue directly asks for the English word that translates to "sinister" in Latin, and the answer is LEFT.

  • The answer is CAMEO because a cameo is a brief appearance or role by a well-known actor or celebrity in a film or show. This fits the clue "Brief role for a big star," as it directly describes the nature of such short, special roles.

  • The answer is OSCAR because Oscar the Grouch, a beloved Muppet from Sesame Street, lives in a trash can and has a pet worm named Slimey. This specific detail ties directly to his character, making OSCAR the correct solution.

  • The clue "Specifics, slangily" asks for an informal synonym of "specifics." The answer "DEETS" is short for "details," which directly refers to specifics, and the slangy tone matches the casual nature of the word "DEETS." Hence, it’s the correct solution.

  • The clue includes quotes, indicating a spoken phrase. "Am not!" is a denial, typically followed by a playground-style rebuttal, "Are so!"—a common retort to insist the opposite. Written phonetically as ARESO, it captures the casual, spoken tone of this childish argument.

Down

  • The answer is LASER because a laser produces a focused, high-tech beam of light, often used in advanced technology like surgery, communication, and cutting tools. The word "beam" directly refers to the concentrated light emitted by a laser, making it the perfect fit for this clue.

  • The answer "EMCEE" fits because it refers to a Master of Ceremonies (MC), someone who hosts events and often uses a microphone to announce, entertain, or guide the audience. The spelling "EMCEE" phonetically represents "MC," commonly associated with hosting duties.

  • The answer "FEATS" fits because "extraordinary achievements" directly describes remarkable or impressive actions, which is the definition of "feats." The clue and answer align in meaning, making "FEATS" an apt solution.

  • The clue "Where most of the body's organs are located" refers to the central region of the human body containing vital organs like the heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines. This region is the TORSO, which includes the chest and abdomen, making it the correct answer.

  • The answer "CODA" fits because in music, a coda is a concluding section added to the end of a musical piece, signifying its finale. The clue directly refers to this term's definition, making "CODA" the perfect solution for "Musical finale."

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Today’s NYT Mini Highlights

Wyna Liu’s Thursday puzzle ups the difficulty with a clever mix of wordplay and layered connections. The inclusion of Latin etymology adds an extra twist, making it trickier than usual but incredibly rewarding for dedicated solvers. A perfect challenge for crossword enthusiasts looking to test their skills!

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

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.

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