The 5 × 5 grid is the classic mini format — the same size as the NYT Mini Crossword. It's the canonical daily puzzle on the site, updated every midnight UTC.
A 5 × 5 grid has 15–20 words, typically 1–3 minutes to solve, and just enough constraint to feel like a real workout without demanding a long focus session. This is the format to default to for the daily ritual.
Every 5 × 5 here is hand-edited for fair clues and a single valid solution. If you're looking for today's Mini Crossword, start at today's puzzle; to browse past grids, the archive has the last 90 days.