Mini Crossword Today
Laying out today’s tiles…
A free daily 5×5 crossword you can finish before your coffee cools
The mini crossword is a small 5×5 grid with around ten clues, built from everyday words. Most people solve it in two to five minutes, which makes it the quickest puzzle on the rack. A new grid unlocks at midnight your time, and everyone gets the same one on the same date.
How to play
- Tap a square or a clue, then type. The highlighted row or column is the answer you’re filling.
- Tap the same square again, or press the space bar, to switch between Across and Down.
- Enter or Tab jumps to the next clue; Backspace steps back.
- Stuck? Check shows wrong letters, and Reveal word fills the current answer (the timer keeps running).
Tips for faster minis
Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues (“___ time is it?”); they’re the most certain. Short three-letter words at the corners cross two long answers, so one sure corner often unlocks half the grid. When a clue says “informally” or “in slang,” the answer is probably casual too.
Missed a day? Every past mini is in the archive.
Questions players ask
What is a mini crossword?
A small crossword, here 5×5, with roughly ten clues. It uses the same rules as a full crossword but takes minutes instead of an hour.
Is today’s mini crossword free?
Yes. It is free to play in your browser with no account, and your progress saves automatically on this device.
What time does the new mini crossword come out?
At midnight in your local time zone. The date shown under the title is the puzzle you’re playing.
Can I play yesterday’s mini?
Yes. Open the puzzle archive and pick any earlier date.
Does revealing a word count as a solve?
It still marks the puzzle complete for your daily streak, but your time keeps running while you reveal.