NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today November 28, 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: Mondays NYT Down Oct 06 Full Vertical | May 03 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Across Clues Answers October 23 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | November 28, 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 | 39. What the British call people who make crosswords |
| 2 Across | 44. One-named rock idol who was born Paul David Hewson |
| 3 Across | 40. Prepared statement? |
| 4 Across | 16. Actress Watts of "Mulholland Drive" |
| 5 Across | 33. Coming ___ |
| 6 Across | 55. Informal get-together |
| 7 Across | 34. Small band |
| 8 Across | 14. Drive around the office? |
| 9 Across | 31. Actress ___ Marsay of Disney+'s "Andor" |
| 10 Across | 46. Guess alternative |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- NYT Across Clues Answers October 23
- October 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Down Today October 10 2025 Complete
1 Across: "39. What the British call people who make crosswords"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
SETTERS
2 Across: "44. One-named rock idol who was born Paul David Hewson"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: B__O
Answer: Click to reveal
BONO
3 Across: "40. Prepared statement?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: I_____Y
Answer: Click to reveal
IMREADY
4 Across: "16. Actress Watts of "Mulholland Drive""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: N___I
Answer: Click to reveal
NAOMI
5 Across: "33. Coming ___"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S__N
Answer: Click to reveal
SOON
6 Across: "55. Informal get-together"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: S__H
Answer: Click to reveal
SESH
7 Across: "34. Small band"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: T__O
Answer: Click to reveal
TRIO
8 Across: "14. Drive around the office?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: W_______C
Answer: Click to reveal
WORKETHIC
9 Across: "31. Actress ___ Marsay of Disney+'s "Andor""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F__E
Answer: Click to reveal
FAYE
10 Across: "46. Guess alternative"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: leeward
Answer: Click to reveal
LEE
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 5. Bishop for whom a neighborhood in Paris is named |
| 2 Down | 21. French name meaning "born again" |
| 3 Down | 47. Softball question |
| 4 Down | 38. Picks up |
| 5 Down | 15. Back in the race? |
| 6 Down | 36. Funny Fred |
| 7 Down | 1. Words of affirmation |
| 8 Down | 10. Flash mob group, perhaps |
| 9 Down | 6. Junk food that, ironically, has an exercise in its name |
| 10 Down | 35. ___-Latino |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- February 12 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 24 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Mini September 18 2025 Fast Answers
1 Down: "5. Bishop for whom a neighborhood in Paris is named"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
STDENIS
2 Down: "21. French name meaning "born again""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: R__E
Answer: Click to reveal
RENE
3 Down: "47. Softball question"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'B'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
LOB
4 Down: "38. Picks up"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S____S
Answer: Click to reveal
SENSES
5 Down: "15. Back in the race?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ENDORSE
6 Down: "36. Funny Fred"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A_____N
Answer: Click to reveal
ARMISEN
7 Down: "1. Words of affirmation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: I___L
Answer: Click to reveal
IWILL
8 Down: "10. Flash mob group, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D_________E
Answer: Click to reveal
DANCETROUPE
9 Down: "6. Junk food that, ironically, has an exercise in its name"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C_________S
Answer: Click to reveal
CHEESECURLS
10 Down: "35. ___-Latino"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A__O
Answer: Click to reveal
AFRO
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: | Easy |
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.
