Quick NYT Mini Crossword September 14, 2025 - Mobile-Friendly Solutions & Speed Tips
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Mini Crossword has 20 clues total. We have all the answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Popular Puzzles: August 12 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | March 23 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | May 31 2023 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 14, 2025 |
| Grid Size | 5 x 5 squares |
| Total Clues | 20 clues |
| Across Clues | 10 clues |
| Down Clues | 10 clues |
| Average Solve Time | Under 1 minute |
Today's NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
This puzzle uses a 5 by 5 grid. That means 5 boxes across and 5 boxes down.
How to Solve This Puzzle Fast
- Read all the clues first - your brain will start working on them
- Fill in the short words first (3 letters or less)
- Use the crossing letters to help with harder words
- If a clue has a question mark (?), it's probably a joke or play on words
- Common short words: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT
Quick Facts About This Puzzle
- Total squares in grid: 25 (5 times 5)
- Average time to solve: Less than 1 minute
- Best time to play: During a coffee break
- Difficulty level: Made for everyone to enjoy
Across Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from left to right in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 87. ___ Wong, co-star of "Always Be My Maybe" |
| 2 Across | 110. Devious character who's the subject of this puzzle |
| 3 Across | 112. Company that once offered "50 Free Hours" CDs |
| 4 Across | 107. DuBois's portrayer in the film "A Streetcar Named Desire" |
| 5 Across | 37. Trees on the National Mall |
| 6 Across | 59. Key that a Mac lacks |
| 7 Across | 23. Orange creature in an arcade game |
| 8 Across | 98. "That's useful information" |
| 9 Across | 51. Monumental |
| 10 Across | 44. Celebration dedicated to a saint |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- April 30 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 04 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 07 2024 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "87. ___ Wong, co-star of "Always Be My Maybe""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALI2 Across: "110. Devious character who's the subject of this puzzle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: W_________E
Answer:
Click to reveal
WILEECOYOTE3 Across: "112. Company that once offered "50 Free Hours" CDs"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'L'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
AOL4 Across: "107. DuBois's portrayer in the film "A Streetcar Named Desire""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: L___H
Answer:
Click to reveal
LEIGH5 Across: "37. Trees on the National Mall"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELMS6 Across: "59. Key that a Mac lacks"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: EL
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALT7 Across: "23. Orange creature in an arcade game"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'Q' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: Q___T
Answer:
Click to reveal
QBERT8 Across: "98. "That's useful information""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I_____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ITHELPS9 Across: "51. Monumental"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: H__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
HUGE10 Across: "44. Celebration dedicated to a saint"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: F______Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
FEASTDAYDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 79. H.S. diploma alternative |
| 2 Down | 29. Run down |
| 3 Down | 27. Certain taco topping |
| 4 Down | 46. R&B group with the #1 hit "Waterfalls" |
| 5 Down | 99. You, to Shakespeare |
| 6 Down | 12. Cajun cooking staple |
| 7 Down | 62. Silence-enforcing doc |
| 8 Down | 74. Actress Pflug |
| 9 Down | 16. This very moment |
| 10 Down | 109. Nest builder |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- October 28 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 07 2024 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 30 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "79. H.S. diploma alternative"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'D'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
GED2 Down: "29. Run down"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
DEFAME3 Down: "27. Certain taco topping"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: M_______A
Answer:
Click to reveal
MILDSALSA4 Down: "46. R&B group with the #1 hit "Waterfalls""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'C'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
TLC5 Down: "99. You, to Shakespeare"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: T__U
Answer:
Click to reveal
THOU6 Down: "12. Cajun cooking staple"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: O__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
OKRA7 Down: "62. Silence-enforcing doc"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
NDA8 Down: "74. Actress Pflug"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: J___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
JOANN9 Down: "16. This very moment"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'W'
- Another word like this: today
Answer:
Click to reveal
NOW10 Down: "109. Nest builder"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: biddy
Answer:
Click to reveal
HENHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Here are the best tips from expert solvers:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Quick Scan: Read all clues once. Your brain starts working on them right away.
- Easy First: Fill in the shortest words (2-3 letters). These are usually simple words like "IT" or "ON".
- Use Crossings: When letters cross, they help you figure out harder words.
- Watch for Wordplay: Clues with question marks (?) are jokes or puns.
- Common Words: Remember these appear often: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE.
Letter Tips That Really Help
- The letter E is the most common in English
- Words ending in S are often plurals
- If you see "___" in a clue, the answer fits those blanks exactly
- Abbreviations in clues mean the answer is also abbreviated
Time Goals to Aim For
| Your Time | Skill Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 seconds | Expert | You know the puzzle patterns very well! |
| 30-60 seconds | Advanced | Great job! You solve quickly. |
| 1-2 minutes | Good | You're doing well. Keep practicing! |
| Over 2 minutes | Learning | You'll get faster with practice. |
Puzzle Numbers and Facts
| Total Clues: | 20 clues to solve |
| Grid Size: | 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down |
| Total Squares: | 25 squares to fill |
| Average Time: | Most people solve in 1 minute 3 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
Common Questions About NYT Mini Crossword
When can I play the NYT Mini?
The puzzle comes out at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before. So you can play Monday's puzzle starting Sunday at 10 PM.
How fast should I be able to solve it?
Most people solve the Mini in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Don't worry if you take longer - speed comes with practice!
Do I need to pay to play?
No! The NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Mini solver?
Good Mini solvers know common short words, can spot wordplay quickly, and use crossing letters well. Practice helps a lot!
Are the puzzles harder on certain days?
Unlike the big NYT crossword, the Mini stays about the same difficulty every day. Sometimes Saturday might be a tiny bit harder.
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