The Mini serves as a condensed edition of The New York Times‘ highly regarded daily crossword. While the complete crossword presents a larger challenge that demands both expertise and endurance, The Mini provides a unique experience.
Featuring only a handful of clues to decipher, the daily puzzle acts as a quick challenge for numerous players.
When a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can lead to frustration! If you happen to be stalled on The Mini — much like Wordle and Connections — we have assistance available for you.
Mahjong, Sudoku, complimentary crossword, and more: Engage with games on Mashable
Instructions for playing Pips, the latest NYT game
Below are the clues and solutions for NYT’s The Mini for Friday, April 3, 2026:
Across
Leaped … or a season in the past tense?
The solution is Sprang.
Basketball player, casually
The solution is Hooper.
___ balloon
The solution is Hot air.
Collapsed … or a season in the past tense?
The solution is Fell.
Down
“Hush!”
The solution is Shh.
Sound of fading away
The solution is Poof.
Memory technique relying on repetition
The solution is Rote.
“C’mon, be ___” (“Assist me”)
The solution is A pal.
Astronaut Armstrong
The solution is Neil.
Dog’s signal
The solution is Grr.
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