Mini Crossword (Hindustan Times)

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A small dated crossword from the Hindustan Times, new every morning in India, with an archive of earlier grids.

on hindustantimes.com

The Hindustan Times Mini Crossword for Mon, Oct 19, 2026 on a phone: an empty 5x5 grid with the clue for 1 Across above it, timer and Assist bar on top

Mini Crossword is a 5x5 crossword published every day on the Hindustan Times games page. Each grid carries its date and the setter's name, and earlier days stay playable in a list below today's puzzle.

About Mini Crossword (Hindustan Times)

Mini Crossword is the small daily crossword of the Hindustan Times, the Indian newspaper. It sits on the paper's HT Games page next to Word Flower, Word Row and Superbrain Teasers, and the page pitches it as something you can finish in under two minutes.

The grids are credited to Sowmya Ramkumar and run in the PuzzleMe player from Amuse Labs, embedded in the newspaper's page. Each puzzle is titled with its date, and a new one goes up at midnight India time, so every reader gets the same grid that day.

A day's puzzle is a 5x5 grid with a handful of across and down clues. The clues mix plain definitions with Indian references, such as Indian sportspeople, films and politics, and some clues carry a Learn More link or a picture. A timer runs while you solve, and the Assist menu can check or reveal letters if you get stuck.

It suits anyone who wants a short word break with an Indian flavour. Because the past grids stay listed under Play previous game, you can catch up on days you missed.

The page is free and needs no account, but it sits inside the newspaper's site, with a wide banner above the grid and an ad column beside it on a desktop. On a phone the grid fills the screen and the clue for the selected cell shows above it.

How to play Mini Crossword (Hindustan Times)

Open the Mini Crossword page and pick today's date (or an earlier one from the list).
Click a cell in the grid to choose where to start; the matching clue is shown above the grid.
Type a letter into each cell of the answer.
Click the same cell again or pick a clue in the list to switch between across and down.
Fill every cell correctly to finish; your time is shown at the top.

Screenshots

The 19 October 2026 Mini Crossword on a desktop: the empty 5x5 grid beside its five Across and five Down clues, two with Learn More links

Tips

Start with the clues that refer to Indian films, places or people if you know them, as they often give long answers.
Use the Assist menu to check a single word before revealing letters.
If you miss a day, the earlier grids stay available under Play previous game.