NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today December 03, 2025 - All 20 Clues Solved & Expert Hints
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: October 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | Quick NYT Mini Crossword November 27 | March 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 03, 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 | 64. Language in which "maunga roa" means "long mountain" |
| 2 Across | 57. Removes forcibly |
| 3 Across | 66. TV's Griffith, Kaufman or Samberg |
| 4 Across | 27. College football rival of Michigan, for short |
| 5 Across | 40. Remain unresolved |
| 6 Across | 38. Linseed oil source |
| 7 Across | 47. One of a trio encountered by Ricitos de Oro |
| 8 Across | 20. Words after "happily ever after" |
| 9 Across | 44. 2008 hit by Katy Perry, per 68-Across |
| 10 Across | 14. Plant-based spread |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- April 08 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 12 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- Quick NYT Mini Crossword November 27
1 Across: "64. Language in which "maunga roa" means "long mountain""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: M___I
Answer: Click to reveal
MAORI
2 Across: "57. Removes forcibly"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E____S
Answer: Click to reveal
EJECTS
3 Across: "66. TV's Griffith, Kaufman or Samberg"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: A__Y
Answer: Click to reveal
ANDY
4 Across: "27. College football rival of Michigan, for short"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'U'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
OSU
5 Across: "40. Remain unresolved"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: P__D
Answer: Click to reveal
PEND
6 Across: "38. Linseed oil source"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'X'
- Word pattern: F__X
Answer: Click to reveal
FLAX
7 Across: "47. One of a trio encountered by Ricitos de Oro"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
OSO
8 Across: "20. Words after "happily ever after""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: T____D
Answer: Click to reveal
THEEND
9 Across: "44. 2008 hit by Katy Perry, per 68-Across"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: A__________D
Answer: Click to reveal
AGIRLIKISSED
10 Across: "14. Plant-based spread"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: O__O
Answer: Click to reveal
OLEO
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 12. Store with iconic blue totes |
| 2 Down | 5. Like Picard vis-à-vis Kirk |
| 3 Down | 18. Advice |
| 4 Down | 9. Obama-era immigration program, informally |
| 5 Down | 13. Like certain thoughts and pockets |
| 6 Down | 10. Novelist Patchett |
| 7 Down | 30. Superlatively contemptible |
| 8 Down | 8. Kind of strategy |
| 9 Down | 49. Cold call? |
| 10 Down | 7. Jean-Paul Sartre's "___ Chemins de la Liberté" |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
1 Down: "12. Store with iconic blue totes"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: I__A
Answer: Click to reveal
IKEA
2 Down: "5. Like Picard vis-à-vis Kirk"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: B____R
Answer: Click to reveal
BALDER
3 Down: "18. Advice"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: I___T
Answer: Click to reveal
INPUT
4 Down: "9. Obama-era immigration program, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: D__A
Answer: Click to reveal
DACA
5 Down: "13. Like certain thoughts and pockets"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: D__P
Answer: Click to reveal
DEEP
6 Down: "10. Novelist Patchett"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ANN
7 Down: "30. Superlatively contemptible"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: V____T
Answer: Click to reveal
VILEST
8 Down: "8. Kind of strategy"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: E__T
Answer: Click to reveal
EXIT
9 Down: "49. Cold call?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A___O
Answer: Click to reveal
ACHOO
10 Down: "7. Jean-Paul Sartre's "___ Chemins de la Liberté""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: LE
Answer: Click to reveal
LES
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: | 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.
