The clue "The 'A' of G.P.A.: Abbr." asks for an abbreviation of the word "A" in the term G.P.A., which stands for "Grade Point Average." The "A" represents "Average," and the abbreviation of "Average" is AVG, making it the correct answer.
4Fashion's Oscar ___ RentaDELA????✨ See Why
The clue "Fashion's Oscar ___ Renta" directly refers to the renowned fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. The answer "DELA" completes his name, which is essential in fashion history and widely recognized. This type of clue depends on general knowledge of prominent figures.
6Waterways traveled by gondola in 2-DownCANALS??????✨ See Why
CANALS are the waterways that make Venice famous. Instead of streets, much of the city is connected by canals, with gondolas and water buses serving as everyday transportation. Once VENICE is in place, this answer becomes the puzzle's most recognizable landmark.
8The Ponte di Rialto in 2-Down, e.g.BRIDGE??????✨ See Why
The Ponte di Rialto is one of Venice's most famous BRIDGEs, spanning the Grand Canal. It connects two busy districts and is among the city's best-known landmarks, making it a perfect thematic companion to CANALS and VENICE.
9Remove, as nails from a catDECLAW??????✨ See Why
The clue "Remove, as nails from a cat" directly describes the process of "declawing," which is the removal of a cat’s claws surgically. The word "remove" aligns with taking away the claws, making DECLAW a precise and literal fit for the clue.
10Pair of peepersEYES????✨ See Why
The clue "Pair of peepers" uses the word "peepers" as a playful term for eyes. "Pair" reinforces that there are two, as humans typically have two eyes. Thus, "EYES" is the fitting answer, aligning with this wordplay and description.
Down
1On ___ (how some pranks are done)ADARE?????✨ See Why
The phrase "On ___" suggests something done impulsively or as a challenge. "A dare" fits perfectly, as many pranks are performed "on a dare," meaning someone was challenged to do it. The playful context aligns with the nature of pranks. Hence, the answer is ADARE.
2Italian city that's the subject of this puzzleVENICE??????✨ See Why
VENICE is the puzzle's thematic centerpiece. The surrounding entries, including CANALS and BRIDGE, all point to famous features of the historic Italian city, making this one of the rare themed Thursday Minis.
3"More than happy to!"GLADLY??????✨ See Why
The clue "More than happy to!" is a conversational phrase suggesting eagerness or willingness. "GLADLY" fits perfectly as it means doing something with pleasure or cheerfulness, effectively matching the tone and intent of the clue. Quotes in the clue indicate it’s a spoken expression.
5Pond scumALGAE?????✨ See Why
The answer is ALGAE because it is a type of simple plant-like organism that often forms green or slimy growths on the surface of ponds and other water bodies, fitting the description of "Pond scum" perfectly.
6Relaxant in some edibles, for shortCBD???✨ See Why
The answer "CBD" refers to cannabidiol, a compound derived from cannabis plants. CBD is known for its relaxing effects and is commonly infused into edibles (like gummies or chocolates). "For short" indicates the use of the abbreviation CBD, as cannabidiol would be too long for the grid.
7Stitches together with needle and threadSEWS????✨ See Why
The clue "Stitches together with needle and thread" refers to the act of sewing, which involves using a needle and thread to join pieces of fabric. The verb form "sews" precisely describes this action, making it the correct and straightforward answer.
Missed solving yesterday's NYT The Mini or playing in a different timezone? We've got you covered. Meet Lady Puzzle, our charming avatar ready to assist! Click her for hints, reveal the entire puzzle, uncover squares one by one, or explore clue answers. No matter your solving style, this is your ultimate tool for completing NYT's The Mini.
Below is a selection of the most intriguing clues from yesterday’s NYT Mini Puzzle. These stood out for their clever wordplay, the things they taught us, or just the fun challenge they brought. Whether you missed them or only want to see why they caught our attention, here are our favorite clues that made solving yesterday’s puzzle fun and rewarding.
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.
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 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.