The Mini Crossword

The Mini Crossword is a smaller and easier version of The New York Times crossword aimed at newbies and casual players. Unlike the full-size crossword, The Mini is played on a 5 x 5 grid, meaning none of the words will ever be longer than five characters, and the puzzles often take a lot less time to complete. The puzzles can also be prepared by the staff a lot faster than the full-size version, so more topical references can be used for the clues. The game is free-to-play, unlike many of the other puzzle titles on The New York Times website.