The Mini is a smaller iteration of The New York Times‘ prestigious daily crossword. While the complete crossword presents a lengthier challenge requiring both expertise and perseverance, The Mini offers a unique experience.

With merely a handful of clues to tackle, the daily puzzle acts as a speed challenge for numerous players.

When a tough clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be quite annoying! If you find yourself stumped on The Mini — much like Wordle and Connections — we’re here to assist.

Here are the clues and solutions to NYT’s The Mini for Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026:

Across

Word on either side of “___-eat-___”

• The solution is Dog.

Word on either side of “___, all ___!”

• The solution is Mine.

Word on either side of “___ say ___”

• The solution is Never.

First-string squad

• The solution is ATeam.

Causes injury to

• The solution is Harms.

Down

Someone who might be swimming with the fishes

• The solution is Diver.

An hour past midnight

• The solution is One AM.

Hand sanitizer targets

• The solution is Germs.

Like a crossword clue about crossword clues

• The solution is Meta.

“I’ll pass, thanks”

• The solution is Nah.

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