Saturday NYT Mini Crossword Answers December 20, 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: March 01 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | April 28 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | Sunday NYT Down Solutions October 26 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 20, 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 | 25. Events at which to release one's inner geek |
| 2 Across | 44. Org. that's gone to the dogs? |
| 3 Across | 7. Get on board |
| 4 Across | 53. Beach shade |
| 5 Across | 22. Let go of |
| 6 Across | 16. #1 on Wired magazine's list of the 10 most influential video games of the 2010s |
| 7 Across | 47. Major magazine pieces |
| 8 Across | 36. Dunderheaded |
| 9 Across | 49. Delicatessen offering |
| 10 Across | 30. Higher power? |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- July 01 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 22 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- All NYT Down Clues October 03 2025 35
1 Across: "25. Events at which to release one's inner geek"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: N_______S
Answer: Click to reveal
NERDFESTS
2 Across: "44. Org. that's gone to the dogs?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'C'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
AKC
3 Across: "7. Get on board"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: E____K
Answer: Click to reveal
EMBARK
4 Across: "53. Beach shade"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S____N
Answer: Click to reveal
SUNTAN
5 Across: "22. Let go of"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F__E
Answer: Click to reveal
FIRE
6 Across: "16. #1 on Wired magazine's list of the 10 most influential video games of the 2010s"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F______E
Answer: Click to reveal
FORTNITE
7 Across: "47. Major magazine pieces"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: F______S
Answer: Click to reveal
FEATURES
8 Across: "36. Dunderheaded"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: T___K
Answer: Click to reveal
THICK
9 Across: "49. Delicatessen offering"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R____N
Answer: Click to reveal
REUBEN
10 Across: "30. Higher power?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: S___R
Answer: Click to reveal
SOLAR
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 7. Dogsbody |
| 2 Down | 38. Field of the annual César Awards |
| 3 Down | 2. City, lake or canton de Suisse |
| 4 Down | 37. Futuristic sci-fi classic with tales set in 2021 and 2029 |
| 5 Down | 12. Mardi Gras parading societies |
| 6 Down | 46. Many a drop-down |
| 7 Down | 48. ___ T |
| 8 Down | 10. Shamans, typically |
| 9 Down | 3. Tip on quite a few bucks? |
| 10 Down | 32. Agree to, in a way |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- August 25 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- All NYT Down Clues October 03 2025 35
- March 01 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "7. Dogsbody"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: E_______Y
Answer: Click to reveal
ERRANDBOY
2 Down: "38. Field of the annual César Awards"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: C____A
Answer: Click to reveal
CINEMA
3 Down: "2. City, lake or canton de Suisse"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: G____E
Answer: Click to reveal
GENEVE
4 Down: "37. Futuristic sci-fi classic with tales set in 2021 and 2029"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: I____T
Answer: Click to reveal
IROBOT
5 Down: "12. Mardi Gras parading societies"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: K____S
Answer: Click to reveal
KREWES
6 Down: "46. Many a drop-down"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: M__U
Answer: Click to reveal
MENU
7 Down: "48. ___ T"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
TOA
8 Down: "10. Shamans, typically"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A______S
Answer: Click to reveal
ANIMISTS
9 Down: "3. Tip on quite a few bucks?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: A____R
Answer: Click to reveal
ANTLER
10 Down: "32. Agree to, in a way"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S_____N
Answer: Click to reveal
SHAKEON
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: | 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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