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NYT’s The Mini Crossword Answers and Hints
Across
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The clue "Do, re, mi, fa, ___, la ..." refers to the solfège musical scale. "Sol" is the fifth note in this sequence after "fa," completing the pattern "do, re, mi, fa, sol, la." This system is used for teaching pitch and sight-singing in music.
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The clue "Still up in the air, for short" uses the phrase "for short" to indicate an abbreviation. "TBD" stands for "To Be Determined," which perfectly matches the idea of something undecided or unresolved—still metaphorically "up in the air."
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The clue says “With 14-Across, ‘?????’” which already feels confusing, exactly the point! When paired with CONFUSING, the full phrase reads “THAT’S CONFUSING.” The clue is essentially its own answer, and it ties into the question mark shape in the grid.
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The answer is RIO because "___ Grande" refers to the Rio Grande, a major river in North America forming part of the U.S.-Mexico border. The Spanish word "Rio" means "river," aligning with the clue's reference to this famous waterway.
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The ULNA is one of two bones in the forearm, running parallel to the radius. It connects the elbow to the wrist, forming part of the joint structure enabling arm movement. This directly matches the clue: "Bone connecting the elbow and wrist," making ULNA the correct answer.
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The D.M.V. (Department of Motor Vehicles) issues identification documents, commonly referred to as IDs. These include driver's licenses and state IDs, which are official forms of identification. The plural "things" in the clue aligns perfectly with "IDs."
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COIF is a term for a styled or arranged hairstyle, often elaborate or fancy. It derives from "coiffure," meaning a hairdo. The clue uses "Elaborate" to suggest a styled appearance, aligning with the definition of COIF as a formal or decorative hairstyle.
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The uvea is the middle layer of the eye, located beneath the sclera. It includes three parts: the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. Since the iris is part of the uvea, the answer "UVEA" accurately corresponds to the clue, "Part of the eye that contains the iris."
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Since 14-Across just says “See 7-Across,” we look there for help. 7-Across plus 14-Across creates the phrase “THAT’S CONFUSING,” which cleverly describes both the clue and the visual of the question mark in the grid—a fun and meta touch by the constructor.
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The clue "Sure, whatever you say ..." in quotes signals a conversational phrase. "OKAY" is a common, informal response indicating agreement or acceptance, matching the tone of the clue. It reflects a similar verbal expression of acquiescence or compliance, consistent with the clue's meaning.
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The answer "CASE" refers to the common packaging of 24 cans of beer. In beverage terms, a "case" is a standard unit used to describe a grouping of 24 cans or bottles, making it the perfect fit for this clue.
Down
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The solution "STUCCO" fits because stucco is a type of plaster used as a decorative or protective coating for walls and ceilings. The clue directly describes this material, which has been traditionally used in construction and design. There's no wordplay involved—this is a straightforward definition clue.
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The clue "Hey, check it out!" is in quotation marks, signaling a spoken phrase. "OHLOOK" matches the tone and meaning of someone excitedly drawing attention to something. It's a direct, casual expression that fits the context of the clue perfectly.
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The answer "LANINA" translates to "the girl" in Spanish. La Niña is a weather phenomenon involving cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, impacting global weather patterns. The clue specifies translation and weather, pointing directly to La Niña.
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The clue "It's full of questions" hints at a context where many questions appear. Trivia games, quizzes, or fact collections are famously full of questions to test knowledge, making TRIVIA the fitting answer. The phrasing playfully refers to the nature of trivia being question-based.
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The answer is BIDENS because Joe Biden became the U.S. president in January 2021, marking the start of the 2020s. His family, including First Lady Jill Biden, represents the White House family during this period. Hence, "BIDENS" is the correct solution.
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The clue "Medicinal amount" directly refers to the specific measured quantity of medicine prescribed or consumed. "Dosage" is the correct term used to describe this amount in a medical context, making it the apt solution for the clue.
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The answer "TAFFY" fits the clue "Chewy candy" because taffy is a classic type of confectionery known for its soft, stretchy, and chewy texture. This matches the description given in the clue, providing a straightforward solution. The word "chewy" directly describes taffy's defining characteristic.
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USC (University of Southern California) is the solution because it is a well-known school whose football team, the Trojans, plays home games at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, located in L.A. The abbreviation "Sch." indicates the answer is a school.
Today’s Game Difficulty
Hard
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Today’s NYT Mini Highlights
Today’s Saturday Mini by Joel Fagliano is a delightful twist on expectations. Instead of the usual larger weekend grid, we get a compact 9x6 layout, but don’t be fooled—this one’s just as tricky. The real surprise is the black squares forming a question mark in the center, a clever visual that ties directly into the theme. There’s a fun mix of topics too—music, anatomy, pop culture, language, and weather all make an appearance. With layered cluing and a bit of misdirection, it feels like a mini version of The Crossword, proving that even small puzzles can be big brainteasers.
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.
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.