How to Play the Mini Crossword
Learn the rules, find your way around the grid and use crossing letters to solve clues.
On this page
What is a mini crossword?
Our mini crossword has a 6×5 grid with answers of 4 to 6 letters. Read the Across and Down clues, then fill the white squares with the correct answers. Black squares separate the words. You can play free without an account.
Game Rules
- Read the clues: Across answers run from left to right; Down answers run from top to bottom. The number of each clue matches the first square of its answer.
- Enter an answer: Select any white square and type. The cursor moves on as you enter letters. In the menu, you can choose whether it skips squares that are already filled.
- Switch direction: Tap the selected square again to switch between Across and Down. Check the highlighted word before typing.
- Choose another clue: Use the previous and next clue buttons, or tap the clue bar to move to another clue. You can also select a square directly.
- Finish the puzzle: Every answer must be correct. Filling all the white squares is not enough if any letters are wrong.
Keyboard and touch controls
Use these controls to select words, change direction and correct letters.
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Tab / Shift+Tab
Move keyboard focus forward or backward between page controls. These keys do not switch words in the grid. -
Backspace
If the selected square contains a letter, erase it without moving. From an empty square, move backward and erase the letter there; this can take you to the previous clue. -
Arrow keys
A perpendicular arrow first changes the answer direction. Press it again to move in that direction. An arrow that already matches the direction moves to the next square. -
Tap the selected square
Switch between Across and Down at that square. -
Previous and next clue
Use the buttons beside the clue to move backward or forward through the clues. Tap the clue bar itself to move to the next clue. -
Delete
Clear the selected square without moving the cursor.
Check a letter
Select a filled square and press the magnifying-glass button to check that letter. Green means correct; red means wrong. The tool checks only the selected letter and does not reveal the answer. Checking adds no time penalty.
Try the interactive tutorial
The first time you press Play, an interactive tutorial introduces the game. Follow it to practice, or skip it to start the puzzle. You can reopen the tutorial from the menu.
Saved progress and earlier puzzles
Your progress is saved in this browser. It does not automatically follow you to another browser or device, and clearing site data can remove it. Open the archive from the menu to choose a past puzzle. The daily puzzle changes at midnight UTC; players using the same language get the same puzzle.
Solving Strategies for Beginners
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Start With What You Know
Read through the clues and start with answers you know. Their letters can help you solve the words that cross them. -
Use crossing letters
Where two answers cross, they share a letter. Compare that letter with both clues. If it does not fit, reconsider one of the answers. -
Check the answer length
Count the squares before entering an answer. Mini answers have 4 to 6 letters. A synonym may fit the clue but still be too long or too short. -
Consider another meaning
A word in a clue can have more than one meaning. If your first idea does not fit, read the clue again and check the crossing letters. A question mark can signal wordplay, but it is not a rule for every clue.
Ways to read a clue
These examples show how crossword clues can work. They are illustrations, not answers to today's puzzle.
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Definitions
A clue can describe the answer or give a synonym. For example, "Not difficult" → EASY. Check that the meaning and number of letters both fit. -
Missing words
Complete a familiar phrase. For example, "Once in a blue ___" → MOON. The full phrase should make sense. -
Shortened forms
Words such as "briefly" or "for short" can ask for a shortened answer. For example, "Information, for short" → INFO. Check that the shortened form fits the available squares. -
Double meanings
A clue may use a less obvious meaning of a word. For example, "River edge or place for money" → BANK. Use the rest of the clue and the crossing letters to decide which meaning fits.
Examples by answer length
Use the number of squares to narrow down possible answers. These are examples, not a list of answers you need to learn:
4 letters: IDEA, ISLE, EASY
5 letters: ARENA, OLIVE, OCHER
6 letters: ORANGE, OCELOT, EYELID
A word only works if it fits the clue and all its crossing letters.
4 letters: IDEA, ISLE, EASY
5 letters: ARENA, OLIVE, OCHER
6 letters: ORANGE, OCELOT, EYELID
A word only works if it fits the clue and all its crossing letters.
What to Do When You Are Stuck
Try one of these steps when an answer will not come to mind.
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Try another part of the grid
Leave the difficult clue for now. Fill in another answer and return when you have more crossing letters. -
Check the wording
Look for clues to the answer's form, such as plural nouns or past tense. These can help narrow the choices, but the answer still needs to fit the meaning and length. -
Try possible letters
For a pattern such as _A_E, think of possibilities like CAKE, DARE and VASE. Keep only the words that also match the clue. -
Check an uncertain letter
If no answer fits, a crossing letter may be wrong. Select a letter you are unsure about and use the magnifying-glass button, or reconsider the answer that supplied it.
Common Beginner Mistakes
These checks can help you find and correct mistakes.
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Ignoring Crossing Letters
An answer must agree with both its clue and the crossing words. Do not keep a guess just because it fits the available space. -
Overlooking the word form
Check whether the clue suggests a singular, plural or different tense. Do not assume every plural is formed by adding S. -
Sticking to the first meaning
A familiar word can have several meanings. If an answer does not fit, reconsider the clue before changing letters in answers you are confident about. -
Forgetting to Switch Direction
Check the highlighted word before typing. If it points the wrong way, tap the selected square to switch direction.
Ready to play?
Today's mini crossword is ready. Free, browser only.