Welcome to The Mini Hints. If you’re a word game fan, you know that the day isn’t officially over until you’ve tackled the New York Times daily puzzles. From Wordle and Strands to the iconic Mini Crossword, these games are a daily ritual for millions.
While the full NYT Crossword requires a subscription, The Mini is free for everyone and resets every night at 10 p.m. ET. If you are working on the Tuesday, May 5, 2026, puzzle and find yourself stuck, we have the clues and solutions you need below.
To help you enjoy the challenge, we’ve listed the hints first. If you just want the answers, keep scrolling!
Hints for NYT’s The Mini Crossword: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Here are some extra clues to help you solve today’s grid.
NYT Mini Across Hints
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1 Across: Word before “time” or “potatoes” — HINT: Ends with the letter “L”
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6 Across: Spot for a backyard grill — HINT: Starts with the letter “P”
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7 Across: “Moving right ___ …” — HINT: Starts with the letter “A”
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8 Across: Major or general — HINT: Ends with the letter “K”
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9 Across: Sprouting part of a potato — HINT: Starts with the letter “E”
NYT Mini Down Hints
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1 Down: Word before “time” or “ribs” — HINT: Starts with the letter “S”
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2 Down: Language spoken in Kuala Lumpur — HINT: Ends with the letter “Y”
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3 Down: Make amends — HINT: Ends with the letter “E”
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4 Down: Sausage segment — HINT: Starts with the letter “L”
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5 Down: Fuel for a firepit — HINT: Ends with the letter “G”
Answers to NYT’s The Mini Crossword: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Spoiler Alert: The solutions are listed below. Only scroll down if you want to see the completed puzzle.
NYT Mini Across Answers
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1 Across: Word before “time” or “potatoes” — SMALL
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6 Across: Spot for a backyard grill — PATIO
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7 Across: “Moving right ___ …” — ALONG
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8 Across: Major or general — RANK
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9 Across: Sprouting part of a potato — EYE
NYT Mini Down Answers
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1 Down: Word before “time” or “ribs” — SPARE
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2 Down: Language spoken in Kuala Lumpur — MALAY
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3 Down: Make amends — ATONE
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4 Down: Sausage segment — LINK
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5 Down: Fuel for a firepit — LOG
