Thursday's NYT Mini Sep 18 - All 10 Across & 10 Down Clues Decoded
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: 27401 Sat Nov 16 2024 NYT By Peter | Xwordinfo Crossword Answers May 24 2025 | November 30 2023 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 18, 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.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | |||||
| Row 2 | |||||
| Row 3 | |||||
| Row 4 | |||||
| Row 5 |
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 | 62. O-O and O-O-O, in chess notation |
| 2 Across | 28. Equine hybrid |
| 3 Across | 27. Counterparts of countesses in British peerage |
| 4 Across | 45. Steeplechase unit |
| 5 Across | 32. Thingum |
| 6 Across | 34. Superman portrayer Christopher, in so many words |
| 7 Across | 52. First person? |
| 8 Across | 58. Action star Jet, in a nutshell |
| 9 Across | 29. One in Bonn |
| 10 Across | 18. Sought-after |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- May 14 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Crossword Across September 13 2025
- Xwordinfo Crossword Answers May 24 2025
1 Across: "62. O-O and O-O-O, in chess notation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
CASTLES
2 Across: "28. Equine hybrid"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: H___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
HINNY
3 Across: "27. Counterparts of countesses in British peerage"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E___S
Answer: Click to reveal
EARLS
4 Across: "45. Steeplechase unit"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'P'
- Another word like this: wash
Answer: Click to reveal
LAP
5 Across: "32. Thingum"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: D____D
Answer: Click to reveal
DOODAD
6 Across: "34. Superman portrayer Christopher, in so many words"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R_______T
Answer: Click to reveal
RAREEVENT
7 Across: "52. First person?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'F'
- Word pattern: S__F
Answer: Click to reveal
SELF
8 Across: "58. Action star Jet, in a nutshell"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: P_____N
Answer: Click to reveal
PELICAN
9 Across: "29. One in Bonn"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
EIN
10 Across: "18. Sought-after"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: D_____D
Answer: Click to reveal
DESIRED
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 39. U.S. History or Calculus BC, e.g. |
| 2 Down | 8. Victorious military underdog in the Bible |
| 3 Down | 57. Its youngest host was a 7-year-old Drew Barrymore in '82 |
| 4 Down | 2. One might say "Big savings all week!" |
| 5 Down | 35. Inside of |
| 6 Down | 37. Credit cards, so to speak |
| 7 Down | 42. Kind of illusion |
| 8 Down | 44. Ascertained bit by bit |
| 9 Down | 28. Quality to which a unique six-character code is assigned, in graphic design |
| 10 Down | 1. Takes turns |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- 27401 Sat Nov 16 2024 NYT By Peter
- November 30 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- Ny Times Crossword Answers April 22
1 Down: "39. U.S. History or Calculus BC, e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
APCLASS
2 Down: "8. Victorious military underdog in the Bible"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: G____N
Answer: Click to reveal
GIDEON
3 Down: "57. Its youngest host was a 7-year-old Drew Barrymore in '82"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
SNL
4 Down: "2. One might say "Big savings all week!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S_____D
Answer: Click to reveal
STOREAD
5 Down: "35. Inside of"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: A__D
Answer: Click to reveal
AMID
6 Down: "37. Credit cards, so to speak"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: P_____C
Answer: Click to reveal
PLASTIC
7 Down: "42. Kind of illusion"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: O_____L
Answer: Click to reveal
OPTICAL
8 Down: "44. Ascertained bit by bit"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: G_____D
Answer: Click to reveal
GLEANED
9 Down: "28. Quality to which a unique six-character code is assigned, in graphic design"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: imbue
Answer: Click to reveal
HUE
10 Down: "1. Takes turns"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
ROTATES
How 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 45 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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