Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s a real stumper. Also, note that I couldn’t really represent the clues for 8-Across and 3-Down, so imagine the S in each puzzle is either raised above or dropped below the other letters, as noted. Read on for all the (confusing) answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: “___, queen!”
Answer: YAS

4A clue: Waiter’s handout
Answer: MENU

5A clue: Tiny invertebrate that, when grouped in the thousands, makes up a coral
Answer: POLYP

6A clue: Scoop of sour cream
Answer: DOLLOP

7A clue: Spicy wing, as seen on a popular YouTube talk show
Answer: HOTONE

8A clue: Comparative suggested by this visual puzzle: PQRsTUV (Note: The s should be dropped down below the other letters in this clue.)
Answer: SLOWER (Because the S in the clue is lower than the other letters.)

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Like SpongeBob and Spirit airplanes
Answer: YELLOW

2D clue: “Bueller …? Bueller …?”
Answer: ANYONE

3D clue: Meal suggested by this visual puzzle: pqrStuv (note: The “S” should be raised up above the other letters in this puzzle)
Answer: SUPPER (Because the S in the clue is the highest, or upper letter.)

4D clue: “___ bene” (Italian for “very good”)
Answer: MOLTO

5D clue: Amenity in a Florida backyard, perhaps
Answer: POOL

6D clue: Agcy. at the center of a 2026 government shutdown
Answer: DHS