NYT Mini Crossword Solutions and Clues for May 25, 2025

Introduction to NYT Mini Crossword

Can you complete the NYT Mini Crossword in less than a minute? This article presents today's clues to challenge your skills! The NYT Mini is a beloved puzzle, known for its quick format. The New York Times crossword is a condensed version of the traditional crossword puzzle, featured in over 300 newspapers and available online. This American-style puzzle is published daily in The New York Times, with difficulty levels that rise throughout the week, starting easy on Mondays and becoming more challenging by Saturdays. The larger Sunday Crossword is a staple in the New York Times Magazine and holds a significant place in American culture.

Understanding the NYT Mini Crossword

The NYT Mini Crossword is an engaging daily puzzle that is a smaller variant of the standard NYT Crossword. Accessible to anyone with a New York Times account, this puzzle, created by Joel Fagliano, typically features three to five clues in each direction on a 5×5 grid, though larger 7×7 grids may appear on Saturdays. Compared to the traditional daily puzzle, the Mini is designed to be simpler.

Accessing the Mini Crossword

Unlike the full-sized NYT Crossword, the Mini can be played for free on the New York Times website or through the NYT Games app. However, a subscription is required to access older puzzle archives.

Tips for Solving the Mini Crossword

• Begin with straightforward clues to establish a base of letters and words. Focus on hints that have short answers or are based on common knowledge.
• Pay attention to intersecting letters as you fill in answers for key clues to help solve other words.
• If you're uncertain about an answer, don't hesitate to make a guess; you can always change it later if needed.
• Try rearranging letters to form words, concentrating on common crossword answers and patterns.
• Common answers often relate to history, geography, and pop culture.
• Before consulting hints, attempt to solve the puzzle independently.

NYT Mini Crossword Answers and Clues for May 25, 2025

Still struggling with some tricky words? Here are the solutions for today's NYT Mini Crossword:

ACROSS Answers

• 1) Good for a bike route, bad for a bike tire – FLAT
  5) Rolling in it – RICH
  6) Internet company with a purple logo – YAHOO
  8) McIlroy who won the 2025 Masters – RORY
  
  9) Mumford & ___ (rock band) – SONS

DOWN Answers

• 1) Food item dipped in ketchup – FRY
  2) Apt rhyme of “falsifiers” – LIARS
  3) Sneezing sound – ACHOO
  
  4) Plant’s defense against herbivores, perhaps – THORN
  7) Yiddish exclamations of woe – OYS

History of the Mini Crossword

The NYT Mini Crossword was launched on August 21, 2014, to provide a quicker and more accessible daily challenge for puzzle enthusiasts. It was designed to attract a broader audience, especially those who found the full-size puzzle daunting. The NYT website and mobile app offer the Mini daily for free, and the quality of the puzzle has been enhanced over the years through careful editing. Joel Fagliano has been the editor of the Mini Crossword since its inception, with contributions from various freelance creators.