Saturday NYT Mini Crossword Answers October 25, 2025 - Quick 5×5 Grid Solutions & 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: September 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | January 18 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | December 14 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 25, 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 | 1. Calendar month between Sha'ban and Shawwal |
| 2 Across | 15. "Here's the hard truth …" |
| 3 Across | 24. 1992 U2 hit inspired by German reunification |
| 4 Across | 25. Busby Berkeley musical film that introduced "I Only Have Eyes for You" |
| 5 Across | 47. Baba ghanouj, e.g. |
| 6 Across | 23. Word on either side of "against" |
| 7 Across | 39. Suffix meaning "rule" |
| 8 Across | 46. Shot-putter? |
| 9 Across | 22. Bug |
| 10 Across | 26. Printing mark whose name is from the Latin for "is lacking" |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- January 18 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 29 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "1. Calendar month between Sha'ban and Shawwal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R_____N
Answer: Click to reveal
RAMADAN
2 Across: "15. "Here's the hard truth …""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 15 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: I_____________T
Answer: Click to reveal
IHAVETOBEHONEST
3 Across: "24. 1992 U2 hit inspired by German reunification"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: ace
Answer: Click to reveal
ONE
4 Across: "25. Busby Berkeley musical film that introduced "I Only Have Eyes for You""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
Answer: Click to reveal
DAMES
5 Across: "47. Baba ghanouj, e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: P___E
Answer: Click to reveal
PUREE
6 Across: "23. Word on either side of "against""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: H__E
Answer: Click to reveal
HOPE
7 Across: "39. Suffix meaning "rule""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: A___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
ARCHY
8 Across: "46. Shot-putter?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N___E
Answer: Click to reveal
NURSE
9 Across: "22. Bug"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: G___O
Answer: Click to reveal
GETTO
10 Across: "26. Printing mark whose name is from the Latin for "is lacking""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: C___T
Answer: Click to reveal
CARET
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 26. They might go faster with zinc |
| 2 Down | 29. British slang for a police car |
| 3 Down | 32. Cursed vibe |
| 4 Down | 8. Intoxicates |
| 5 Down | 10. Treasure hunter's find |
| 6 Down | 12. Mocap suit components |
| 7 Down | 44. Seat fillers |
| 8 Down | 14. Slender hospital tools |
| 9 Down | 46. Greenhorn, informally |
| 10 Down | 11. La ___ (leading Belgian French-language TV channel) |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- December 14 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 23 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "26. They might go faster with zinc"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C___S
Answer: Click to reveal
COLDS
2 Down: "29. British slang for a police car"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: P___A
Answer: Click to reveal
PANDA
3 Down: "32. Cursed vibe"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: B_____O
Answer: Click to reveal
BADMOJO
4 Down: "8. Intoxicates"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B____S
Answer: Click to reveal
BESOTS
5 Down: "10. Treasure hunter's find"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L__E
Answer: Click to reveal
LODE
6 Down: "12. Mocap suit components"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
SENSORS
7 Down: "44. Seat fillers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B___S
Answer: Click to reveal
BUTTS
8 Down: "14. Slender hospital tools"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
STYLETS
9 Down: "46. Greenhorn, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: N__B
Answer: Click to reveal
NOOB
10 Down: "11. La ___ (leading Belgian French-language TV channel)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
UNE
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 58 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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