How to Play the Mini Crossword
Master the game in minutes with these simple steps. Perfect for beginners and challenging for experts.
Game Rules
- 1
Click a clue number or any cell to start
- 2
Type letters — Tab or arrow keys move between cells
- 3
Crossing letters help confirm your guesses
- 4
Reveal or Reset are always available if you get stuck
- 5
Come back tomorrow for a fresh daily puzzle
Pro Tips
Start with the shortest answers — fewest possible fills.
Use crossing letters aggressively — a known letter narrows the answer a lot.
Clues in quotes usually want a quote or idiom.
If a clue starts with "Like…" the answer is usually an adjective.
Common mini fill: TEA, OREO, ERA, EVE, IDEA — learn the staples.
How Crossword Clues Work
Every clue fills either across (left-to-right) or down (top-to-bottom). Cells where across and down answers cross share the same letter.
Classic
5 × 5
Same format as the NYT Mini — 1-3 min solves.
Intermediate
6 × 6
A touch bigger, 3-6 min solves, richer clue interactions.
Advanced
7 × 7
The biggest mini format — 5-10 min solves, themed fills.