NYT Mini Crossword Hints for April 25, 2026
Each clue gets a first letter, a wordplay nudge and the answer. Revealed answers fill the grid.
Across
1A Ruffle or Pringle (4)
5A "Still unscheduled" abbr. (3)
8A "Je t'___" (French "I love you") (4)
9A Tailor's line (3)
10A Eleven plus two, or twelve plus one (8)
12A Rollaway extra for a hotel room, maybe (3)
13A Unit of farmland (4)
14A "Eleven plus two" and "twelve plus one," e.g. (8)
16A Cheese found in spanakopita (4)
17A Big tub (3)
18A Emoji used to mean "Ooh, interesting" (4)
19A Messy, muddy home (3)
Down
1D Business with cappuccinos and cuddly kittens (7)
2D "Dear, I'm home!" (7)
3D Act like (7)
4D The "/" in km/h (3)
5D Cleveland N.B.A. team, to fans (7)
6D Cardboard coaster at a pub (7)
7D Legal immunity, as granted through a pardon (7)
11D Pine ___ (slugger's sticky stuff) (3)
15D Alternative to electric, for a stove (3)
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Mini-sized tactics
In a 5×5, every across answer crosses every down answer, so one sure word gives you a letter in five others. Start with fill-in-the-blank clues and short, concrete nouns; leave question-mark clues, which signal wordplay, until you have crossings.
A question mark at the end of a clue is the constructor telling you not to read it literally. Abbreviations in the clue (“Org.”, “Abbr.”) mean the answer is abbreviated too.
Questions
When is the new Mini Crossword published?
Weekday Minis appear at 10 p.m. Eastern the night before; weekend Minis appear at 6 p.m. Eastern. This page loads the Mini for your device’s date.
Is the Mini Crossword free?
Yes, the daily Mini is free to play on the NYT Games app and website. The Mini archive needs a subscription.
Why is Saturday’s Mini bigger?
Saturday Minis are often larger than 5×5, sometimes 7×7, and a bit harder. The grid on this page adapts to whatever size the puzzle is.
What’s a good Mini time?
Many regulars solve in under a minute. Around two minutes is a solid everyday time; hints only affect your pride, not the NYT timer.