Quick NYT Mini Crossword October 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: July 15 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | February 18 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | August 19 2023 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 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.
| 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 | 46. Watermelon leftovers |
| 2 Across | 38. Say if you're attending, in brief |
| 3 Across | 30. Head-turning spectacle |
| 4 Across | 17. "In what season are the Olympics during leap years, sweetie?" "___" |
| 5 Across | 20. President Lincoln, informally |
| 6 Across | 59. Cobra's tooth |
| 7 Across | 42. "What are oils and watercolors examples of, dear?" "___" |
| 8 Across | 19. Home of the Taj Mahal |
| 9 Across | 23. Heavily edit with beauty filters, as a photo, in modern lingo |
| 10 Across | 47. "In all probability …" |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- September 02 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 18 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 03 2024 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "46. Watermelon leftovers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R___S
Answer: Click to reveal
RINDS
2 Across: "38. Say if you're attending, in brief"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: R__P
Answer: Click to reveal
RSVP
3 Across: "30. Head-turning spectacle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S___E
Answer: Click to reveal
SCENE
4 Across: "17. "In what season are the Olympics during leap years, sweetie?" "___""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S________E
Answer: Click to reveal
SUMMERLOVE
5 Across: "20. President Lincoln, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ABE
6 Across: "59. Cobra's tooth"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: F__G
Answer: Click to reveal
FANG
7 Across: "42. "What are oils and watercolors examples of, dear?" "___""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: M__________G
Answer: Click to reveal
MEDIADARLING
8 Across: "19. Home of the Taj Mahal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A__A
Answer: Click to reveal
AGRA
9 Across: "23. Heavily edit with beauty filters, as a photo, in modern lingo"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: Y_____Y
Answer: Click to reveal
YASSIFY
10 Across: "47. "In all probability …""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ODDSARE
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 10. "Oh, really?" |
| 2 Down | 50. Country whose national soccer team is nicknamed the Pharaohs |
| 3 Down | 52. Circus clapper |
| 4 Down | 53. "Citizen ___" |
| 5 Down | 25. Indicator of a penalty, in soccer |
| 6 Down | 11. Moral justification |
| 7 Down | 43. "I'll be right there" |
| 8 Down | 38. Poverty, symbolically |
| 9 Down | 5. Bacteria-free |
| 10 Down | 3. Apples, pears and quinces, botanically |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 10 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 10 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 20 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "10. "Oh, really?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: T____O
Answer: Click to reveal
THATSO
2 Down: "50. Country whose national soccer team is nicknamed the Pharaohs"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: E___T
Answer: Click to reveal
EGYPT
3 Down: "52. Circus clapper"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: S__L
Answer: Click to reveal
SEAL
4 Down: "53. "Citizen ___""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: K__E
Answer: Click to reveal
KANE
5 Down: "25. Indicator of a penalty, in soccer"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: C__D
Answer: Click to reveal
CARD
6 Down: "11. Moral justification"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R_______S
Answer: Click to reveal
RIGHTNESS
7 Down: "43. "I'll be right there""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: I____C
Answer: Click to reveal
INASEC
8 Down: "38. Poverty, symbolically"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R__S
Answer: Click to reveal
RAGS
9 Down: "5. Bacteria-free"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
STERILE
10 Down: "3. Apples, pears and quinces, botanically"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P___S
Answer: Click to reveal
POMES
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 52 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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