Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is live, and leans into punchy spoken phrases, clean trivia, and a neat brand-name detail. Settle in for a lively little grid.
How The Mini Works
The Mini is a compact version of the classic NYT Crossword, typically featuring a 5×5 grid with five Across and five Down clues. Saturdays expand to a larger grid with more clues. Solve the intersecting words, and when the grid is complete, you’ll hear a satisfying chime. No streak tracking here, but the built-in timer lets you compete against yourself or challenge friends.
New puzzles drop at 10 p.m. EST on weekdays and Saturdays. Sunday’s Mini arrives earlier at 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Quick Scan
In a rush? Here’s the at-a-glance breakdown for today’s puzzle:
Grid Size: 5×5
Total Clues: 10 (5 Across, 5 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 1A is the trickiest clue because its casual reaction must be compressed into slangy crossword form.
Gimme Clue: 5A is the clearest gimme because the familiar 5,280 conversion points directly to its unit.
Theme Spotted: None today, straight trivia and wordplay.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here’s a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. “That’s a no-brainer!,” slangily
Hint: Think of a breezy clipped reaction meaning the result requires no thought. Four letters, starts with O.
5A. 5,280 in a mile
Hint: Name the unit counted by the familiar 5,280-to-one mile conversion. Four letters, starts with F.
6A. F, on a test
Hint: Translate the test-grade abbreviation into a truth-value adjective. Five letters, starts with F.
8A. “Give me a break!”
Hint: Hear this as an impatient protest asking someone to ease up. Four letters, starts with C.
9A. “Don’t walk” symbol at a crosswalk
Hint: Picture the illuminated crosswalk icon telling pedestrians to stay put. Four letters, starts with H.
Down Hints
1D. Brand of bug spray with an exclamation point in its name
Hint: Think of the classic insect-repellent brand whose punctuation is part of its logo. Three letters, starts with O.
2D. Long ___, Calif.
Hint: Complete the name of the Southern California city located south of Los Angeles. Five letters, starts with B.
3D. Brainy member of the Scooby-Doo gang
Hint: Identify the bespectacled, analytical mystery-solver in the Scooby-Doo crew. Five letters, starts with V.
4D. “Let’s do this thing”
Hint: Look for a compact rallying phrase that signals action can begin. Five letters, starts with I.
7D. Conclusion
Hint: Supply the noun for the point at which something finishes. Three letters, starts with E.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you’re ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. “That’s a no-brainer!,” slangily
Answer: OBVI
5A. 5,280 in a mile
Answer: FEET
6A. F, on a test
Answer: FALSE
8A. “Give me a break!”
Answer: CMON
9A. “Don’t walk” symbol at a crosswalk
Answer: HAND
Down Answers
1D. Brand of bug spray with an exclamation point in its name
Answer: OFF
2D. Long ___, Calif.
Answer: BEACH
3D. Brainy member of the Scooby-Doo gang
Answer: VELMA
4D. “Let’s do this thing”
Answer: ITSON
7D. Conclusion
Answer: END
Grid Breakdown
Here’s what made today’s puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 1A, “That’s a no-brainer!,” slangily, lands on OBVI. The clipped answer perfectly matches the clue’s breezy, conversational register.
Wordplay Winner: 1D wins with OFF, since the exclamation point mentioned in the clue belongs to the bug-spray brand’s styling rather than the crossword entry.
Quick Fill: FEET is the fastest confident fill because 5A supplies the exact mile conversion. It anchors the grid through crossings with OFF, BEACH, VELMA, and ITSON.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here’s what today’s puzzle teaches:
Start with an exact conversion clue such as 5A, place FEET, and use those crossings to test proper names and conversational phrases.
For quoted clues, match tone before spelling. OBVI, CMON, and ITSON all reproduce spoken cadence, so reading them aloud reveals the intended compression.
Tomorrow’s Puzzle
The grid played fair, rewarding exact trivia while letting its conversational entries add personality. OBVI gave the whole solve its crispest spark.
See you at the next grid.
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