If you’re someone who checks the NYT Mini Crossword every morning (same here), today’s puzzle (June 12) had that fun little balance of being easy but just clever enough to trip you up for a second. Honestly, it wasn’t too hard—but it did have one or two clues that made you pause and go, “Wait, what?”
Most of the words were pretty short and basic, but a few clues felt like a little riddle. Nothing too serious, but definitely not boring.
The Across Clues Felt Straightforward… But Still Fun
Here’s how the across ones broke down:
-
“___ chi” was just TAI. Not tricky.
-
Then came “Financially compensated”, and yeah, it was PAID—makes sense.
-
“Some things off the top of your head?” turned out to be HAIRS, which honestly was kind of cute. That’s one of those clues that feels clever after you get it.
-
“Feels sick” gave us AILS, which is a word you don’t use every day, but it works.
-
And “___ Peacock, character in Clue”? The answer was MRS. Simple if you know the game, maybe confusing if you don’t.
The overall vibe here was light, kind of classic crossword tone—not trying to be funny, just neatly put together.
And the Down Clues?
Now the down section:
-
“Coin flip call” was TAILS. Straightforward.
-
“Shows on TV” = AIRS, which I feel like is a pretty common crossword word.
-
“Requests at the bar, informally”—this one was IDS, and if you’ve ever been carded, you get it.
-
“Decent poker holding” = PAIR, easy one.
-
And finally, “Person who loves attention” = HAM, which is such a classic crossword answer, honestly.
Not a single long word today, which is kind of nice. It makes it feel like a quick win.
The Puzzle’s Little Charm
Here’s what made today’s puzzle kind of cool even if it was short:
-
No theme, but still interesting: Sometimes it’s just fun wordplay without overthinking it.
-
“Hairs” clue made me smile: Just a neat twist of language.
-
Quick mental warm-up: Finished in under 2 minutes, but still felt good to get it done.
It didn’t have a big twist or hidden theme like some puzzles do, but honestly, that’s what makes the Mini enjoyable—just a daily moment of solving satisfaction.
