How to Play the NYT Mini Crossword

Open the official New York Times Mini Crossword, pick an Across or Down clue, and type the answer into the highlighted entry. Each letter you place also helps another crossing clue.

Most Mini grids are small enough to solve in a few minutes, but abbreviations, wordplay, and proper nouns can still slow you down. The best method is to fill the obvious short answers first, then use crossings to test the trickier entries.

TECHi keeps three permanent Mini pages: today for the current answer set, yesterday for the previous grid, and this how-to page for rules and solving strategy.

A Simple Solving Method

Start with the clues that feel literal, skip anything that seems punny, and return after two or three crossings are in place. The Mini rewards momentum: one confirmed word often unlocks half the grid.