NYT Mini Crossword Clues & Answers for Today — Quick Tips to Solve the Daily Puzzle Fast

If today’s NYT Mini Crossword felt trickier than usual, you’re not alone. Monday’s 5×5 grid (released at 10 p.m. ET Sunday) mixed a couple of gimmies with a few head-scratchers and one eyebrow-raising past tense. Below is a spoiler-packed breakdown of the May 26, 2025 puzzle, plus quick tips for keeping your solving streak alive. — TODAY’S GRID AT A GLANCE — Across 1. Endangers — RISKS 6. “Bloomin’” menu star at Outback — ONION 7. Up the ___ (plentifully) — WAZOO 8. Lived (in) — DWELT 9. “You wanted to see me because…?” — YES Down 1. Rambunctious — ROWDY 2. Totally blown away — IN AWE 3. S, M and L — SIZES 4. ___-Aid Man who smashes through walls — KOOL 5. Pesky little twerp — SNOT (Answers sourced from Paul Tassi’s daily rundown.) — WHY THIS MINI STOOD OUT — • Uncommon fill: DWELT, the seldom-seen past tense of “dwell,” tripped up many solvers and inflated average completion times. • Colloquialisms: WAZOO and SNOT add playful voice but can stump non-native speakers. • Conversational clue: 9-Across’s vague quote required lateral thinking instead of straight definition matching. — SPEED-SOLVING STRATEGY FOR NEWCOMERS — 1. Start with downs. Short vertical entries often reveal the trickiest long across answers. 2. Leverage freebies: Brand mascots like KOOL-Aid Man or obvious plurals such as SIZES anchor the grid quickly. 3. Memorize release times: Weekday and Saturday Minis drop nightly at 10 p.m. ET, Sunday’s at 6 p.m. ET—perfect for building a midnight streak. 4. Use the archives: A Games subscription unlocks every previous Mini for targeted practice on clue styles and word length patterns. — WHAT TOMORROW COULD BRING — Difficulty usually ramps up as the week progresses, peaking Saturday before the lighter Sunday grid returns. Expect Tuesday to introduce at least one more multi-word answer and a punny clue tied to pop culture. If you’re chasing sub-one-minute solve times, sharpen your reflexes on past Tuesday Minis before tonight’s release. Bookmark this page for daily clue roundups, solution explanations and insider tactics that shave precious seconds off the clock. Whether you’re aiming for a personal best or simply want to avoid that Reveal button, our nightly Mini Crossword coverage will keep you a step ahead of the grid.