Mini Crossword Answers — October 9, 2026

All across and down answers for the NYT Mini Crossword from October 9, 2026.

Daily brief

Mini #24594

Friday, October 9, 2026

ready

Updated Oct 9, 2026, 3:45 AM EDT

Today's hints

Answer-free grid

123■■4··567····8····9··■■

The blank grid is 5×5, with 4 blocks and 21 open squares.

Difficulty: 2

This band is shown with every input used to compute it.

answer-slot count
average answer length
crossing density

Clue wording is paraphrased — original clues at nytimes.com.

Mini Crossword

Friday, October 9, 2026

Today's Crossword

Across

1.
Broadcaster of "Grey's Anatomy"ABC
4.
Dairy mix-in ... or Clapton's power trioCREAM
7.
Cupid's emblem ... or the Wilson sisters' groupHEART
8.
Saharan spring ... or Gallagher brothers' groupOASIS
9.
Lyrical tributeODE

Down

1.
Common "Bless you" triggerACHOO
2.
Loaf from a bakeryBREAD
3.
Come to a haltCEASE
5.
Hidden within "safaris"ARI
6.
Everest and K2: Abbr.MTS

Puzzle Insights

Focus on filling in the shortest words first
Use intersecting letters to narrow down possibilities
The Mini often includes current events and pop culture references
Plural clues typically end with 'S'
Look for wordplay in the clues - puns and double meanings are common

Mini Crossword Strategies

Starting Strategies

Scan all clues first before filling anything in
Start with the clues you're most confident about
Fill in plural answers when you identify them (usually end with 'S')
Look for 3-letter words, which are often common in crosswords

Common Abbreviations

Direction: N, S, E, W for North, South, East, West
Time: HR (hour), MIN (minute), SEC (second)
Organizations: UN, NATO, WHO, NBA, NFL, MLB
Academic degrees: BA, BS, MBA, PHD
Months: JAN, FEB, MAR, etc.

Working with Intersections

Use letters from completed words to help solve intersecting words
If stuck, focus on areas with the most filled-in letters
When two answers intersect, both must work with the shared letter

Common Mini Crossword Themes

Current events and holidays
Pop culture references
Wordplay and puns
Simple themes that bind several answers together

Yesterday's full result

2026-10-08

Puzzle Number

24595

Grid

- Is Black
  Yes
  Is Circled
  No
- Is Black
  Yes
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  B
  Number
  1
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  A
  Number
  2
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  R
  Number
  3
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  S
  Number
  4
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  E
  Number
  5
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  R
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  V
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  E
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  P
  Number
  6
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  L
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  A
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  I
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  N
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  A
  Number
  7
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  L
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  I
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  S
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  T
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  M
  Number
  8
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  A
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Letter
  N
  Is Black
  No
  Is Circled
  No
- Is Black
  Yes
  Is Circled
  No
- Is Black
  Yes
  Is Circled
  No

Clues

Number
1
Direction
across
Clue
Tavern for mixed drinks?
Answer
BAR
Word Info
Word
BAR
Scrabble Score
5
Wwf Score
6
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
a portable .30 caliber automatic rifle operated by gas pressure and fed by cartridges from a magazine; used by United States troops in…
Number
4
Direction
across
Clue
Initial hit in tennis matches
Answer
SERVE
Word Info
Word
SERVE
Scrabble Score
8
Wwf Score
9
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play
Number
6
Direction
across
Clue
No-frills deli roll option
Answer
PLAIN
Word Info
Word
PLAIN
Scrabble Score
7
Wwf Score
10
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
extensive tract of level open land
Number
7
Direction
across
Clue
Top-tier category for stars
Answer
ALIST
Word Info
Word
ALIST
Scrabble Score
5
Wwf Score
6
Number
8
Direction
across
Clue
"Oh, brother!"
Answer
MAN
Word Info
Word
MAN
Scrabble Score
5
Wwf Score
7
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
Number
1
Direction
down
Clue
Thinking organ inside the skull
Answer
BRAIN
Word Info
Word
BRAIN
Scrabble Score
7
Wwf Score
9
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the…
Number
2
Direction
down
Clue
Hertz rival for travelers
Answer
AVIS
Word Info
Word
AVIS
Scrabble Score
7
Wwf Score
8
Number
3
Direction
down
Clue
Check for the landlord
Answer
RENT
Word Info
Word
RENT
Scrabble Score
4
Wwf Score
5
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
a payment or series of payments made by the lessee to an owner for use of some property, facility, equipment, or service
Number
4
Direction
down
Clue
Unidentified junk phone contact
Answer
SPAM
Word Info
Word
SPAM
Scrabble Score
8
Wwf Score
10
Part Of Speech
n
Definition
a canned meat made largely from pork
Number
5
Direction
down
Clue
___ Langley, who recorded "Choosin' Texas"
Answer
ELLA
Word Info
Word
ELLA
Scrabble Score
4
Wwf Score
6

Source verification

Sources: 1
Agreement: single
Confidence: confirmed

1: verified (0 ms)

Checked 2026-10-09T07:30:02.474Z

Recent answers

2026-10-08 — puzzleNumber: 24595 · answers: BAR, SERVE, PLAIN, ALIST, MAN, BRAIN, AVIS, RENT, SPAM, ELLA
2026-10-07 — puzzleNumber: 24507 · answers: WASTE, ANNOY, INAWE, SIRS, TEE, WAIST, ANNIE, SNARE, TOWS, EYE
2026-10-06 — puzzleNumber: 24544 · answers: STOP, PIXAR, ELITE, LEDTV, TREY, SPELT, TILER, OXIDE, PATTY, REV
2026-10-05 — puzzleNumber: 24587 · answers: CUB, LOSES, OMEGA, GMAIL, SAINT, COMMA, USEAI, BEGIN, LOGS, SALT
2026-10-04 — puzzleNumber: 24457 · answers: CASK, JOSIE, SIMPLY, KNICKS, IXNAY, COMIN, ASPCA, SILKY, KEYS, JINX, SKI
2026-10-03 — puzzleNumber: 24565 · answers: MDS, HEAPS, BARSOAP, ARMHOLE, TRAINER, YIKES, DID, MERMAID, DASHIKI, SPOONED, HARRY, SALES, BAT, PER
2026-10-02 — puzzleNumber: 24564 · answers: DUST, OHWOW, CHINA, SUPER, HERE, DOCS, UHHUH, SWIPE, TONER, WARE
2026-10-01 — puzzleNumber: 24410 · answers: GIVE, POKER, UPENN, GRAM, SOSO, GOPRO, IKEAS, VENMO, ERN, PUGS
2026-09-30 — puzzleNumber: 24561 · answers: RSVPS, ATEUP, MANGO, OCTET, SKITS, RAMOS, STACK, VENTI, PUGET, SPOTS
2026-09-29 — puzzleNumber: 24553 · answers: BAGS, LLAMA, ALLEN, NILLA, KNOLL, BLANK, ALLIN, GALLO, SMELL, ANAL
2026-09-28 — puzzleNumber: 24504 · answers: RORY, MOVIE, ELIZA, GENZ, AXE, ROLEX, OVINE, RIZZ, YEA, MEGA
2026-09-27 — puzzleNumber: 24546 · answers: FIT, GRAND, YOURS, MINE, SLAM, FAUNA, INREM, TDS, GYMS, ROIL
2026-09-26 — puzzleNumber: 24517 · answers: WXYANDZ, ABALONE, GOLFTAN, XER, POLEAXE, ONADIET, REWORDS, WAG, XBOXONE, YALELAW, ALFREDO, NOT, DNA, ZEN, POR, AIR, XED, ETS
2026-09-25 — puzzleNumber: 24541 · answers: PETS, EXIT, ATBAT, CRETE, HATED, PEACH, EXTRA, TIBET, STATE, TED

Archive statistics

Average Answer Length By Weekday

Thursday: 4.4
Wednesday: 4.4
Tuesday: 4.5
Monday: 4.4
Sunday: 4.4
Saturday: 5
Friday: 4.5

Most Repeated Fill

Answer
EYE
Count
4
Answer
EYES
Count
4
Answer
NET
Count
4
Answer
SHELL
Count
4
Answer
TEN
Count
4
Answer
YES
Count
4
Answer
END
Count
3
Answer
MAN
Count
3
Answer
OFF
Count
3
Answer
STY
Count
3
Answer
ALGAE
Count
2
Answer
ALIST
Count
2
Answer
ALLIN
Count
2
Answer
AMIGO
Count
2
Answer
AMUSE
Count
2
Answer
ANGER
Count
2
Answer
ARGUE
Count
2
Answer
AUDIO
Count
2
Answer
BASH
Count
2
Answer
BAT
Count
2

How this brief was computed

Hint classes: computed

Generated lines used: 0

Verification run: 20261009T074501Z

← Browse all past Mini Crossword answers

How It Works

The Mini Crossword is the New York Times' bite-sized daily puzzle, featuring a 5×5 grid with both across and down clues. We provide quick hints and solutions to help you solve it efficiently.

Mini Crossword Tips

Unlike the main crossword, the Mini almost never includes obscure knowledge
Think of common words, phrases, and current events
The Mini often includes wordplay and puns
Start with the shorter words, as they're usually easier to solve
When stuck, focus on intersections where you already have letters filled in

More Mini Crossword help

Mini Crossword Tips Mini Crossword Archive

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the NYT Mini Crossword?

The NYT Mini Crossword is a 5x5 grid puzzle, much smaller than the standard 15x15 crossword. This compact size makes it perfect for a quick puzzle break, typically taking 1-5 minutes to complete.

What time does the NYT Mini Crossword reset?

The NYT Mini Crossword resets at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before, giving subscribers early access. For non-subscribers, it becomes available at midnight Eastern Time.

Is the NYT Mini Crossword free?

Yes, the NYT Mini Crossword is free to play on the New York Times website and app. Unlike the full daily crossword, you don't need a subscription to access the Mini.

Mini Crossword strategy & tips

Why the Mini is a speed game

The NYT Mini is a 5×5 grid (occasionally larger on weekends) that most solvers finish in under a minute or two. Because it’s small, every answer crosses several others, so the Mini rewards a different instinct than the big weekday crossword: get any foothold, then let the crossings cascade.

There’s no shame in skipping a clue you don’t know — in a grid this dense, two or three confident answers usually hand you the rest through their crossing letters.

Start with fill-in-the-blank and short answers

Fill-in-the-blank clues (e.g. “___ and cheese”) are the fastest gimmes — solve them first for free crossing letters.
Short common entries — three-letter answers like ERA, ONE, ATE, OREO, AREA show up constantly; spotting them instantly opens crossings.
Plurals and tenses — if a clue is plural, the answer probably ends in S; that single letter can crack a crossing word.

Let the crossings do the work

The core Mini technique: the moment you’re unsure of an Across answer, jump to the Down answers crossing it. Each crossing letter you place narrows the uncertain word until it’s obvious. Toggling between Across and Down at every intersection is faster than staring at one tough clue.

If a clue has multiple plausible answers (e.g. a 4-letter word for “shut”), don’t commit — wait for one crossing letter to disambiguate, then fill with confidence.

Know the “crosswordese”

The Mini reuses a vocabulary of short, vowel-friendly words that appear far more in crosswords than in life — OREO, ENO, ELI, ASEA, ETA, ESE. Learning to recognize these by their clue style turns a stuck corner into an instant fill — our Mini Crossword tips guide lists the highest-value crosswordese to learn first. The Monday Mini is the easiest; difficulty drifts up slightly through the week.

When a corner won’t fall

Re-read the clue for a double meaning — Mini clues love puns and “?” misdirection. If a corner is locked, fill every crossing letter you’re sure of and read the partial pattern aloud; the answer often appears once you see the letters. A new Mini is published daily and is free to play, and older grids are collected in the Mini archive.