NYT Mini Crossword October 26, 2025 Hints & Answers - Beat the Average 1-Minute Time
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: November 26 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | November 15 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | September 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 26, 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 | 30. Call at home |
| 2 Across | 78. Temporary halt, legally |
| 3 Across | 111. Garb for an Indian bridesmaid |
| 4 Across | 77. Moonshiners' needs |
| 5 Across | 1. Leftover piece of fabric |
| 6 Across | 71. Awesome after dark? (Gen X) |
| 7 Across | 67. Greed |
| 8 Across | 45. "Frozen" character who says "I like warm hugs" |
| 9 Across | 91. Tempo |
| 10 Across | 28. Vaudeville offering |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- June 10 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 30 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 26 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "30. Call at home"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S____E
Answer: Click to reveal
STRIKE
2 Across: "78. Temporary halt, legally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: S__Y
Answer: Click to reveal
STAY
3 Across: "111. Garb for an Indian bridesmaid"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: S__I
Answer: Click to reveal
SARI
4 Across: "77. Moonshiners' needs"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: Y____S
Answer: Click to reveal
YEASTS
5 Across: "1. Leftover piece of fabric"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: S___P
Answer: Click to reveal
SCRAP
6 Across: "71. Awesome after dark? (Gen X)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: F________T
Answer: Click to reveal
FLYBYNIGHT
7 Across: "67. Greed"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
AVARICE
8 Across: "45. "Frozen" character who says "I like warm hugs""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'F'
- Word pattern: O__F
Answer: Click to reveal
OLAF
9 Across: "91. Tempo"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: P__E
Answer: Click to reveal
PACE
10 Across: "28. Vaudeville offering"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
Answer: Click to reveal
SKIT
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 47. Run off with |
| 2 Down | 49. Source of onomatopoeic words |
| 3 Down | 118. PC connection |
| 4 Down | 29. Carrier with a Flying Dutchman magazine |
| 5 Down | 18. 2013 title role for Asa Butterfield |
| 6 Down | 70. "Not to mention …" |
| 7 Down | 53. Coveter's sin |
| 8 Down | 94. Books with legends |
| 9 Down | 2. Numismatist's acquisition |
| 10 Down | 92. Commencement ritual |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
1 Down: "47. Run off with"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: F___H
Answer: Click to reveal
FILCH
2 Down: "49. Source of onomatopoeic words"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S____S
Answer: Click to reveal
SOUNDS
3 Down: "118. PC connection"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'N'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
LAN
4 Down: "29. Carrier with a Flying Dutchman magazine"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'M'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
KLM
5 Down: "18. 2013 title role for Asa Butterfield"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: E___R
Answer: Click to reveal
ENDER
6 Down: "70. "Not to mention …""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A__O
Answer: Click to reveal
ALSO
7 Down: "53. Coveter's sin"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: E__Y
Answer: Click to reveal
ENVY
8 Down: "94. Books with legends"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
ATLASES
9 Down: "2. Numismatist's acquisition"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: C__N
Answer: Click to reveal
COIN
10 Down: "92. Commencement ritual"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
CAPTOSS
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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