The Mini Crossword

About The Mini Crossword

The Mini Crossword started at The New York Times in 2014. Joel Fagliano, who joined the Times' puzzle team that year and later became its senior puzzles editor, writes and edits it. It is a full crossword shrunk to five squares by five, with across and down clues, plus a larger 7x7 grid on Saturdays.

Unlike the main Crossword, the Mini does not get harder through the week. The clues are plainer and lean on everyday words, names in the news and light wordplay, so most puzzles take between thirty seconds and a few minutes. A timer starts when you open the grid, and your time is the score: the NYT Games app keeps a leaderboard where you can add friends and compare each day's Mini times.

The next day's Mini comes out the evening before, at 10 p.m. Eastern on weekdays and 6 p.m. Eastern on weekend evenings, along with the main Crossword. Subscribers can also play the archive of past Minis.

The Mini was free for more than ten years, but on 27 August 2025 the Times put it behind the paywall together with Letter Boxed and Tiles. It now needs a New York Times Games or All Access subscription on the web and in the app. It suits people who want a crossword that fits in a coffee break, and players working up to the full-size puzzle.

How to play The Mini Crossword

1. Open the Mini on nytimes.com or in the NYT Games app and sign in with a subscription.
2. Press Play; the timer starts as the grid appears.
3. Read the highlighted clue and type the answer; the cursor moves along the word.
4. Tap a square twice, or press the clue list, to switch between across and down.
5. Fill every square; when all the answers are right, the timer stops and your time is saved.
6. Check the leaderboard to compare your time with friends who play the same grid.

Screenshots

Tips

• Read all the across clues first and fill the sure answers, then go down; in a 5x5 grid every letter is checked twice.
• Skip a clue you cannot see at once; the crossing words usually give it to you.
• Fill-in-the-blank clues are often the fastest way in.
• On a computer, use the arrow keys and Tab to move between words without the mouse.
• Try the Saturday 7x7 grid as a step toward the main Crossword.

Questions