Can you solve the NYT Mini Crossword in under a minute? This article presents today’s clues and solutions to test your puzzle-solving skills. The NYT Mini is a popular, quick version of the classic New York Times crossword. Appearing in over 300 newspapers and online, the NYT Crossword is a widely recognized American-style puzzle. Difficulty increases throughout the week, with Mondays being the easiest and Saturdays the hardest. The larger Sunday Crossword, featured in the New York Times Magazine, is an iconic part of American culture.
The NYT Mini Crossword is a daily puzzle designed for fun. It’s a smaller version of the NYT Crossword, accessible to anyone with a New York Times account. The daily crossword, edited by Joel Fagliano, usually has a 5×5 grid, but sometimes it’s larger, like 7×7 on Saturdays. The Mini is generally easier than the standard daily puzzle.
Unlike the full NYT Crossword, the Mini is free to play on the New York Times website or the NYT Games app. However, access to older puzzle archives requires a subscription to NYT Games. Spoilers are below, so scroll down slowly if you wish to see the answers.
Tips for solving the Mini include starting with simple clues to build a foundation, observing intersecting letters, guessing if unsure (and changing it later if needed), rearranging letters, recognizing common crossword themes like history and pop culture, and attempting the puzzle before checking the answers.
Here are the NYT Mini Crossword answers for August 22, 2025:
ACROSS:
1A: Places to store shovels and leaf blowers – SHEDS
5A: Coating for Babybel cheese – WAX
6A: “___ vs. Predator” (2004 sci-fi film) – ALIEN
8A: Streaming glitch – LAG
9A: Docking spots – PIERS
10A: Feature of a Southern accent – TWANG
14A: Sweet potato lookalike – YAM
15A: Top-notch, informally – PRIMO
17A: Greenskeeper’s roll of grass – SOD
18A: Campfire remnants – ASHES
DOWN:
1D: Nickname for the Florida Gators football stadium, with “the” – SWAMP
2D: “2001: A Space Odyssey” villain – HAL
3D: Cast out from a country – EXILE
4D: “Uptown Funk” and “Downtown,” for two – SONGS
7D: “Can I bend your ___ for a second?” – EAR
10D: Like an ambitious, competitive personality – TYPEA
11D: Simple-to-play card game for two – WAR
12D: Simple-living sect – AMISH
13D: Shop owner’s stock – GOODS
16D: Barkeep on “The Simpsons” – MOE
The NYT introduced the Mini Crossword on August 24, 2014, as a quicker, more accessible daily challenge. It was created to reach a broader audience, particularly those who found the full-size puzzle too complex. The Mini is available daily for free on the NYT website and mobile app. Joel Fagliano has been editing the Mini Crossword since 2014.
