Challenge yourself with today’s NYT Mini Crossword! This article provides clues and solutions for the August 22, 2025 puzzle. The NYT Mini Crossword is a fast-paced, popular variant of the traditional New York Times Crossword puzzle. It is syndicated in numerous newspapers and available online, and it is a well-known American puzzle format. The difficulty of the puzzles generally increases as the week progresses.
The NYT Mini Crossword offers a daily dose of fun. This smaller version of the NYT Crossword is available to anyone with a New York Times account. Edited by Joel Fagliano, the Mini typically uses a 5×5 grid, although larger 7×7 grids sometimes appear, especially on Saturdays. The Mini is designed to be easier than the standard daily crossword.
Unlike its larger counterpart, the Mini Crossword can be played without charge on the New York Times website or through the NYT Games app. However, accessing older puzzles requires a subscription to NYT Games. Warning: Answers are provided below.
Here are some tips to help you solve the Mini Crossword effectively: begin with straightforward clues to establish a base, carefully consider intersecting letters, don’t hesitate to make educated guesses, try rearranging letters to form words, be familiar with common crossword themes, and attempt the puzzle independently before consulting the solutions.
Here are the answers to the NYT Mini Crossword for August 22, 2025:
ACROSS:
1A: Places to store shovels and leaf blowers – SHEDS
5A: Coating for Babybel cheese – WAX
6A: “___ vs. Predator” (2004 sci-fi film) – ALIEN
8A: Streaming glitch – LAG
9A: Docking spots – PIERS
10A: Feature of a Southern accent – TWANG
14A: Sweet potato lookalike – YAM
15A: Top-notch, informally – PRIMO
17A: Greenskeeper’s roll of grass – SOD
18A: Campfire remnants – ASHES
DOWN:
1D: Nickname for the Florida Gators football stadium, with “the” – SWAMP
2D: “2001: A Space Odyssey” villain – HAL
3D: Cast out from a country – EXILE
4D: “Uptown Funk” and “Downtown,” for two – SONGS
7D: “Can I bend your ___ for a second?” – EAR
10D: Like an ambitious, competitive personality – TYPEA
11D: Simple-to-play card game for two – WAR
12D: Simple-living sect – AMISH
13D: Shop owner’s stock – GOODS
16D: Barkeep on “The Simpsons” – MOE
The NYT Mini Crossword made its debut on August 24, 2014. The primary purpose was to offer a quicker and simpler puzzle for a broader audience. The Mini is available daily, free of charge, on the NYT website and mobile app. Joel Fagliano has been the editor of the Mini Crossword since 2014.