Quick NYT Mini Crossword December 18, 2025 - 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: October 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | September 13 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | January 08 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | December 18, 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 | 53. Volleyball team count |
| 2 Across | 17. Feats performed on knights' quests |
| 3 Across | 16. Platoon sgt., e.g. |
| 4 Across | 52. Get schooled |
| 5 Across | 44. Follow-up to an oath |
| 6 Across | 41. Word with ball or card |
| 7 Across | 66. Alley components |
| 8 Across | 24. Go off on |
| 9 Across | 49. Crosses off |
| 10 Across | 38. Jake's love in "The Sun Also Rises" |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- October 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 08 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 09 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "53. Volleyball team count"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'X'
- Another word like this: vi
Answer: Click to reveal
SIX
2 Across: "17. Feats performed on knights' quests"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'Q'
- Word pattern: D_________Q
Answer: Click to reveal
DARINGRESQQ
3 Across: "16. Platoon sgt., e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
NCO
4 Across: "52. Get schooled"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: L___N
Answer: Click to reveal
LEARN
5 Across: "44. Follow-up to an oath"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: E__________H
Answer: Click to reveal
EXQQMYFRENCH
6 Across: "41. Word with ball or card"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: clue
Answer: Click to reveal
CUE
7 Across: "66. Alley components"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L___S
Answer: Click to reveal
LANES
8 Across: "24. Go off on"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: R____T
Answer: Click to reveal
RAILAT
9 Across: "49. Crosses off"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'X' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: X____T
Answer: Click to reveal
XESOUT
10 Across: "38. Jake's love in "The Sun Also Rises""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: B___T
Answer: Click to reveal
BRETT
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 11. "That's what she said" and others |
| 2 Down | 6. Levels |
| 3 Down | 34. In a class by oneself |
| 4 Down | 3. It comes from the heart |
| 5 Down | 12. Beyond impressive, informally |
| 6 Down | 52. Fabrication expert |
| 7 Down | 46. Lives |
| 8 Down | 4. Glide down a piste |
| 9 Down | 23. Caribbean music genre |
| 10 Down | 7. One versed in verse |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 03 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 31 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 13 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "11. "That's what she said" and others"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I_______S
Answer: Click to reveal
INNUENDOS
2 Down: "6. Levels"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S____A
Answer: Click to reveal
STRATA
3 Down: "34. In a class by oneself"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: U_______D
Answer: Click to reveal
UNEQUALED
4 Down: "3. It comes from the heart"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
Answer: Click to reveal
AORTA
5 Down: "12. Beyond impressive, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S_______D
Answer: Click to reveal
SCARYGOOD
6 Down: "52. Fabrication expert"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: L__R
Answer: Click to reveal
LIAR
7 Down: "46. Lives"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E____S
Answer: Click to reveal
EXISTS
8 Down: "4. Glide down a piste"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
SKI
9 Down: "23. Caribbean music genre"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
SKA
10 Down: "7. One versed in verse"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: P__T
Answer: Click to reveal
POET
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.
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