How to play mini crossword

The goal

A mini crossword is a small grid of white squares and black squares. Each white square belongs to an across word and a down word. When every white square holds the right letter, both directions read as real words.

Most daily minis are 5 by 5 and land around ten answers. Fox News describes its mini as something you can finish in under three minutes. USA Today’s two-minute mini is a timed cousin with ten answers. Those are other products. The grid on this site is 5 by 5 as well.

Controls on this site

Click a white square, then type a letter. Backspace clears it. Check compares what you typed with the puzzle and leaves wrong letters marked. Reveal all fills the whole grid and marks the solve as assisted. The timer starts at the first letter.

The New York Times help center describes a richer set of keys for its own player: arrows, tab for the next clue, space, and a rebus mode. I am not promising those keys here. This site’s board supports click or tap, letter input, Backspace, Check, and Reveal all. A phone input opens the keyboard. Completing every square correctly stops the clock and saves the result in this browser; revealed solves are marked assisted.

A sensible order

Read the shortest clues first. Fill a crossing letter before you invent a whole word. If the grid is full and Check still complains, one crossing is wrong. Clear that square rather than rewriting every neighbor.

Hints on a date page come in layers: the kind of word, then the length and the first letter, then the full answer. Use them in that order if you want the solve to stay yours.

What does a black square mean?

It blocks the word. Letters do not continue through it.

Does the timer punish a wrong letter?

No. It only measures time after you start typing. Check does not add a penalty.

Can I play on a phone?

Yes. Tap a square and use the keyboard. The squares are sized as tap targets.