**The Mini Crossword: A Quick Puzzle Fix from The New York Times**
[The Mini](https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/mini) serves as a streamlined edition of *The New York Times*’ renowned daily crossword puzzle. In contrast to the conventional crossword, which requires considerable time, knowledge, and perseverance, The Mini offers a more rapid and user-friendly experience.
With just a handful of clues to work through, it presents a daily challenge that many enthusiasts view as a race against time. Nevertheless, facing a challenging clue can interrupt the rhythm and result in annoyance. If you’ve reached an impasse while working on The Mini — similar to [Wordle](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-january-2-2025) or [Connections](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-january-2-2025) — don’t fret, we’re here to assist.
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### Clues and Answers for NYT’s The Mini (Thursday, January 2, 2025)
#### **Across**
– **Windy gust:** **Gust**
– **Newton who presented the three-body problem:** **Isaac**
– **Cuban dance form:** **Rumba**
– **Time to reach out to the midwife:** **Labor**
– **Neighboring country to Vietnam:** **Laos**
#### **Down**
– **”The ___ With the Dragon Tattoo”:** **Girl**
– **Common restaurant request, prefaced by “the”:** **Adieu**
– **Afro-Brazilian dance form:** **Roman**
– **Prohibited:** **Crest**
– **Ford obsession?:** **Hexes**
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### Seeking More Puzzles?
If you’re looking for additional puzzles, visit [Mashable’s games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for an array of choices, including Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and much more.
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### Featured Video: Puzzle Techniques
Want to enhance your skills? Watch *The Wordle Strategy Used by The New York Times’ Head of Games* for expert advice and insights.
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### More Puzzle Enjoyment
Are you also engaged with NYT Strands? [Explore hints and answers for today’s Strands](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-january-2-2025).
Missed a day? [Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Mini Crossword](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-mini-crossword-answers-hints-january-1-2025).
Enjoy solving!