NYT Mini September 21, 2025: Fast Answers, Strategic Hints & Speed-Solving Guide
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: October 19 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | July 09 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | 27448 Sat Jan 04 2025 Ny Times |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 21, 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 | 55. Game with Indigenous origins |
| 2 Across | 118. TV host Cohen |
| 3 Across | 85. Fight the urge |
| 4 Across | 54. Phases, to Taylor Swift |
| 5 Across | 80. Muchas horas |
| 6 Across | 81. "Was ___ blame?" |
| 7 Across | 23. Traditional form of Japanese drama |
| 8 Across | 5. Does acid |
| 9 Across | 59. Festive outdoor lighting options |
| 10 Across | 36. Had |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- February 16 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- Wednesday August 07 2024 NYT Crossword
- August 04 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "55. Game with Indigenous origins"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L______E
Answer: Click to reveal
LACROSSE
2 Across: "118. TV host Cohen"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: A__Y
Answer: Click to reveal
ANDY
3 Across: "85. Fight the urge"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R____T
Answer: Click to reveal
RESIST
4 Across: "54. Phases, to Taylor Swift"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer: Click to reveal
ERAS
5 Across: "80. Muchas horas"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D__S
Answer: Click to reveal
DIAS
6 Across: "81. "Was ___ blame?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ITO
7 Across: "23. Traditional form of Japanese drama"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 13 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: K___________R
Answer: Click to reveal
KABUKITHEATER
8 Across: "5. Does acid"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T___S
Answer: Click to reveal
TRIPS
9 Across: "59. Festive outdoor lighting options"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T_________S
Answer: Click to reveal
TIKITORCHES
10 Across: "36. Had"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: T____D
Answer: Click to reveal
TASTED
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 4. Models after |
| 2 Down | 54. Jazz composer Garner |
| 3 Down | 100. Broken piece of pottery |
| 4 Down | 45. Hip |
| 5 Down | 91. Jeans |
| 6 Down | 33. Oscar-winning Ariana of "West Side Story" |
| 7 Down | 42. Many a skin-care product |
| 8 Down | 68. Several CBS dramas |
| 9 Down | 89. Worked hard (for) |
| 10 Down | 64. Public health agcy. |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Ny Times Crossword Answers May 06 2025
- August 04 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- Wednesday August 07 2024 NYT Crossword
1 Down: "4. Models after"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E______S
Answer: Click to reveal
EMULATES
2 Down: "54. Jazz composer Garner"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: E____L
Answer: Click to reveal
ERROLL
3 Down: "100. Broken piece of pottery"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S___D
Answer: Click to reveal
SHARD
4 Down: "45. Hip"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I_______N
Answer: Click to reveal
INFASHION
5 Down: "91. Jeans"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D____S
Answer: Click to reveal
DENIMS
6 Down: "33. Oscar-winning Ariana of "West Side Story""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D____E
Answer: Click to reveal
DEBOSE
7 Down: "42. Many a skin-care product"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'L'
- Another word like this: mousse
Answer: Click to reveal
GEL
8 Down: "68. Several CBS dramas"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C__S
Answer: Click to reveal
CSIS
9 Down: "89. Worked hard (for)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S____E
Answer: Click to reveal
STROVE
10 Down: "64. Public health agcy."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'C'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
CDC
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 1 minute 10 seconds |
| Difficulty: | A bit tricky |
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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