Quick NYT Mini Crossword January 03, 2026 - 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: January 04 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | Monday NYT Across Solutions September | November 20 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 03, 2026 |
| 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 | 32. Add pizazz to |
| 2 Across | 56. Aids in recalling |
| 3 Across | 31. One in hand? |
| 4 Across | 53. "Your point being ...?" |
| 5 Across | 19. Really went for |
| 6 Across | 26. "On top of that ..." |
| 7 Across | 38. Place to make offers |
| 8 Across | 10. Ditch digger |
| 9 Across | 45. Blemish |
| 10 Across | 44. How someone might be caught |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers September_14
- September 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- Saturdays NYT Down Dec 06 Full Vertical
1 Across: "32. Add pizazz to"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: S_____P
Answer: Click to reveal
SPICEUP
2 Across: "56. Aids in recalling"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M_______S
Answer: Click to reveal
MNEMONICS
3 Across: "31. One in hand?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: tops
Answer: Click to reveal
ACE
4 Across: "53. "Your point being ...?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: O___D
Answer: Click to reveal
OKAND
5 Across: "19. Really went for"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: L_______D
Answer: Click to reveal
LIKELIKED
6 Across: "26. "On top of that ...""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: M______R
Answer: Click to reveal
MOREOVER
7 Across: "38. Place to make offers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: E__Y
Answer: Click to reveal
EBAY
8 Across: "10. Ditch digger"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S___E
Answer: Click to reveal
SPADE
9 Across: "45. Blemish"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: D__G
Answer: Click to reveal
DING
10 Across: "44. How someone might be caught"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ONTAPE
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 49. Selene's Roman counterpart |
| 2 Down | 47. Nothing special |
| 3 Down | 7. Lincolnesque, in a way |
| 4 Down | 28. When repeated, a fish |
| 5 Down | 14. Emoji indicating interest |
| 6 Down | 42. Not so simple |
| 7 Down | 2. Berry found in swamps |
| 8 Down | 34. Drifters at sea |
| 9 Down | 25. Performer who's juggling a lot? |
| 10 Down | 33. Soft, sticky treat |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 09
- Monday NYT Across Solutions September
- November 20 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "49. Selene's Roman counterpart"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: L__A
Answer: Click to reveal
LUNA
2 Down: "47. Nothing special"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: S__O
Answer: Click to reveal
SOSO
3 Down: "7. Lincolnesque, in a way"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: L___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
LANKY
4 Down: "28. When repeated, a fish"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: M__I
Answer: Click to reveal
MAHI
5 Down: "14. Emoji indicating interest"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer: Click to reveal
EYES
6 Down: "42. Not so simple"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: H____R
Answer: Click to reveal
HARDER
7 Down: "2. Berry found in swamps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: A__I
Answer: Click to reveal
ACAI
8 Down: "34. Drifters at sea"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: P______N
Answer: Click to reveal
PLANKTON
9 Down: "25. Performer who's juggling a lot?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: O________D
Answer: Click to reveal
ONEMANBAND
10 Down: "33. Soft, sticky treat"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: P__P
Answer: Click to reveal
PEEP
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 45 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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