Sunday NYT Mini Crossword Answers November 30, 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: July 02 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | May 27 2023 NYT Clues Solutions | October 27 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | November 30, 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 | 106. 1994 co-Nobelist Shimon |
| 2 Across | 73. "When r u getting in?" |
| 3 Across | 64. Matador's opponent |
| 4 Across | 93. Break down in tears |
| 5 Across | 43. Dealer's manager |
| 6 Across | 72. Knighthood, for one |
| 7 Across | 1. Post-vacation pile |
| 8 Across | 25. Accommodates |
| 9 Across | 55. Ancient drinker of the fermented beverage chicha |
| 10 Across | 70. Energy |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- February 25 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 01 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 28 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "106. 1994 co-Nobelist Shimon"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P___S
Answer: Click to reveal
PERES
2 Across: "73. "When r u getting in?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ETA
3 Across: "64. Matador's opponent"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: T__O
Answer: Click to reveal
TORO
4 Across: "93. Break down in tears"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'B'
- Another word like this: prick
Answer: Click to reveal
SOB
5 Across: "43. Dealer's manager"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
PITBOSS
6 Across: "72. Knighthood, for one"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: H___R
Answer: Click to reveal
HONOR
7 Across: "1. Post-vacation pile"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: M__L
Answer: Click to reveal
MAIL
8 Across: "25. Accommodates"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S___S
Answer: Click to reveal
SEATS
9 Across: "55. Ancient drinker of the fermented beverage chicha"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I___N
Answer: Click to reveal
INCAN
10 Across: "70. Energy"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'M'
- Another word like this: vigor
Answer: Click to reveal
VIM
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 37. Arm of the police department |
| 2 Down | 81. Open-weave fabric |
| 3 Down | 3. Strain |
| 4 Down | 17. Italian sub ingredient |
| 5 Down | 94. Farmer Hoggett's entrant in a sheepherding contest |
| 6 Down | 10. Leaves the straight and narrow |
| 7 Down | 56. Animated character, informally |
| 8 Down | 26. John who painted "Backyards, Greenwich Village" |
| 9 Down | 46. Cash on the Ginza |
| 10 Down | 67. It's a gas |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- August 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 27 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 07 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "37. Arm of the police department"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: T___R
Answer: Click to reveal
TASER
2 Down: "81. Open-weave fabric"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S___M
Answer: Click to reveal
SCRIM
3 Down: "3. Strain"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'K'
- Another word like this: like
Answer: Click to reveal
ILK
4 Down: "17. Italian sub ingredient"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: S____I
Answer: Click to reveal
SALAMI
5 Down: "94. Farmer Hoggett's entrant in a sheepherding contest"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B__E
Answer: Click to reveal
BABE
6 Down: "10. Leaves the straight and narrow"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer: Click to reveal
ERRS
7 Down: "56. Animated character, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: T__N
Answer: Click to reveal
TOON
8 Down: "26. John who painted "Backyards, Greenwich Village""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S___N
Answer: Click to reveal
SLOAN
9 Down: "46. Cash on the Ginza"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: yearn
Answer: Click to reveal
YEN
10 Down: "67. It's a gas"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: N__N
Answer: Click to reveal
NEON
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.