About the NYT Mini Crossword
The NYT Mini crossword is a miniature version of the classic New York Times daily crossword that offers a smaller grid and a lower degree of difficulty. It is published daily by Joel Fagliano, an American puzzle creator who first submitted crossword puzzles to the New York Times in 2007. After high school, Fagliano interned with Will Shortz, editor for the standard-length NYT Crossword puzzle, and eventually started working for Shortz and the New York Times, full-time in 2014, where he still works to this day.
The NYT Mini is composed of a 5×5 grid crossword puzzle Sunday through Friday and a 7×7 grid on Saturday. A bonus "midi," a slightly larger variant of the NYT Mini, may be published occasionally. Some word game enthusiasts say it's an excellent way to practice for the full crossword, while others view it as a warmup. Regardless of how you see it, the Mini is meant to be significantly easier than the standard puzzle.
Though Fagliano is the editor of the Mini Crossword, the game was originally created by Matt Hural, who previously served as a Games team director at The Times. Meant to be something “free and somewhat easy for visitors to play,” the Mini Crossword is enjoyed by people worldwide.
Where to play
Like the New York Times Daily Crossword puzzle, the Mini is available online via the website and mobile apps. However, unlike the standard-length version, users do not need to pay for a subscription to access the smaller puzzle.
The New York Times Crossword app is available on Google Play and the App Store. It's free to play, but users can subscribe to view the archives that include the puzzles from previous days, as well as gain access to The Daily Crossword.
Tips to solve the NYT Mini Crossword
The NYT Mini Crossword puzzle is designed to be an easier and smaller version of The Daily Crossword, but it can certainly still pose a challenge! Here are some general tips to follow to help you get through the daily Mini puzzles:
- Start by answering fill-in-the-blank clues, which are typically the easiest to solve.
- Build off your previous answers to help you figure out clues you don't know.
- Stay current on your news because the Mini tends to cover many subjects.
- Look up the answers to clues that stump you!