Today’s NYT Mini Crossword might test your skills, but you will solve it quickly if you know your steak cuts! For many word game fans, the day isn’t complete without playing the free games from The New York Times. Solving the daily Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Wordle, and Strands has become a daily ritual. Of course, we can’t forget about The Mini Crossword!
While the main NYT Crossword requires a paid subscription, The Mini is free and has a massive fanbase. Unlike other games that reset at midnight, The Mini resets every day at 10 p.m. ET.
If you are working on the Sunday, May 31 puzzle and need a little help, we have you covered. Below, you will find the clues, helpful hints, and solutions for both the Across and Down words. We separate the hints from the final answers, so be careful not to scroll too far down if you want to avoid spoilers!
Hints for NYT’s The Mini Crossword: Sunday, May 31, 2026
Here are extra hints for every word in today’s Mini Crossword puzzle.
NYT Mini Across Hints
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1 Across: Ends of dress shirt sleeves — HINT: Ends with the letter “S”
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6 Across: Month when the N.B.A. and N.H.L. playoffs start, typically — HINT: Starts with the letter “A”
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7 Across: Pilfered — HINT: Ends with the letter “E”
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8 Across: Played (with) — HINT: Ends with the letter “D”
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9 Across: “Well, isn’t that the ___ calling the kettle black!” — HINT: Starts with the letter “P”
NYT Mini Down Hints
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1 Down: Performers in a play — HINT: Ends with the letter “T”
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2 Down: “Gimme five!” — HINT: Ends with the letter “P”
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3 Down: Soft serve alternative, familiarly — HINT: Starts with the letter “F”
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4 Down: Boneless steakhouse order — HINT: Ends with the letter “T”
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5 Down: Winter ride — HINT: Starts with the letter “S”
⚠️ SPOILER ALERT: Stop scrolling here if you only wanted the hints. The actual solutions are listed directly below!
Answers to NYT’s The Mini Crossword: Sunday, May 31, 2026
NYT Mini Across Answers
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1 Across: Ends of dress shirt sleeves — CUFFS
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6 Across: Month when the N.B.A. and N.H.L. playoffs start, typically — APRIL
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7 Across: Pilfered — STOLE
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8 Across: Played (with) — TOYED
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9 Across: “Well, isn’t that the ___ calling the kettle black!” — POT
NYT Mini Down Answers
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1 Down: Performers in a play — CAST
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2 Down: “Gimme five!” — UPTOP
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3 Down: Soft serve alternative, familiarly — FROYO
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4 Down: Boneless steakhouse order — FILET
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5 Down: Winter ride — SLED
