The New York Times Mini crossword is a quick and dirty version of the larger and long-running crossword puzzle in the newspaper. It typically consists of three to five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, although the puzzles can be larger on Saturdays. Unlike the larger crossword, the NYT Mini is free to play on the New York Times website or through the NYT Games app, although access to previous puzzles in the archives requires an NYT Games subscription.
The NYT Mini crossword is a fun daily distraction that can usually be completed in a short amount of time. Some avid players try to beat the standard weekday grid in less than a minute. However, there are times when even the most experienced players may struggle with one or two clues and need to reveal the answer. In order to help players avoid having to do that, the answers for the NYT Mini are often shared to assist those who may have gotten stuck on a particular clue.
The answers for the NYT Mini on Thursday, July 25 included clues such as “That’s mind-blowing!” for which the answer was “Wow,” as well as other clues and answers like “Apt anagram of RHINO – I” (Horn), “Jelly Belly or Jolly Rancher” (Candy), “Ye ___ Shoppe” (Olde), “Show that recently received a record 23 Emmy nominations, with ‘The'” (Mandelorian), “___ watching (coastal activity)” (Whale), “Civic automaker” (Honda), “Waiter’s jotting” (Order), and “Corn core” (Cob) among others.
For some players, the Thursday puzzle was the toughest one of the week so far. It took one player 1:08 to complete, with words like “CANDY” and “OLDE” being among the first ones they were able to figure out. The Down words seemed to work out better for them, as they were able to solve all of them except for “ANY.” With persistence and careful consideration, the player was ultimately able to finish the Across words on their second pass, ending with a win while making a mental note to check out the third season of “The Bear.”
For those looking for help with future NYT Mini puzzles, the blog of the player who completed Thursday’s puzzle may have insights and solutions to assist. Additionally, players who enjoy other NYT games such as Wordle, Connections, and Strands can check out Forbes Games for guides to each daily puzzle. The NYT Mini is a new daily feature that is still evolving, with plans to explore different formats and content. Suggestions and feedback from players are welcome, including ideas for additional hints on extra tricky clues before revealing all the answers.
