Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesNeed a nudge before the answers? Start with the clue-by-clue hints below, then open the spoiler key when you’re ready. This is the Wednesday, December 3, 2025 NYT Mini, with five Across and five Down entries.
Hints for the December 3 Mini
Try each hint before revealing its answer.
Across
- 1A. “___, don’t tell” (writing adage) — Complete the familiar advice about showing a scene rather than explaining it.
- 5A. “Creator of Indiana Jones and Han Solo” — Think of the filmmaker’s surname; the letters can be rearranged to spell “CAULS.”
- 7A. “What ‘ain’t’ can substitute for” — A five-letter contraction of “are not.”
- 8A. “Icon on a flight map” — A five-letter vehicle; its letters can be rearranged to spell “PANEL.”
- 9A. “Federal food stamps initiative, familiarly” — The familiar acronym for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Down
- 1D. “Action in the card game Egyptian Ratscrew” — A blow delivered with an open hand.
- 2D. “Throws forcefully” — A five-letter verb meaning to throw with strength.
- 3D. “Where 97% of the Earth’s water is found” — The clue points to a large body of salt water. The percentage is part of the puzzle clue, not an independently verified statistic here.
- 4D. “‘You down?’” — A casual two-word offer, contracted into five letters.
- 6D. “Neil Armstrong took a ‘small’ one” — Complete the famous phrase “one small ___.”
Full answer key (spoilers)
The answer set below is compiled from Try Hard Guides’ date-specific clue list and clue-level pages. Three answers—SHOW, SNAP and STEP—are supported by the clue wording and crossing-consistent set, but were not independently confirmed against an official NYT grid.
| Entry | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1A | SHOW |
| 5A | LUCAS |
| 7A | ARENT |
| 8A | PLANE |
| 9A | SNAP |
| 1D | SLAP |
| 2D | HURLS |
| 3D | OCEAN |
| 4D | WANNA |
| 6D | STEP |
Sources and date
The date-specific clue list was published by Try Hard Guides on December 2, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (03:00 UTC on December 3). It lists five Across and five Down clues and supports looking up entries individually to avoid revealing the whole grid. Clue-level answers and hints are reported on its pages for “Creator of Indiana Jones and Han Solo”, “What ‘ain’t’ can substitute for”, “Icon on a flight map”, “Action in the card game Egyptian Ratscrew”, “Throws forcefully”, “Where 97% of the Earth’s water is found” and “‘You down?’”.
The guide also points to NYT Games online and the New York Times Crossword app for playing, and to its archive for puzzles on other dates. Access conditions and current availability may vary.
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