NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today: Clues/Hints December 9

*Our NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today will let you know whether your entries in the across and down columns were correct.

The NYT Mini is a speedier and smaller version of the older and larger crossword that many are accustomed to seeing in the New York Times. Normally, you will see three to five clues for across and down columns on a 5×5 grid but toward the end of a week, the puzzles become bigger. 

Compared to its counterpart, an NYT Mini can be played for free on the official website or the Games app. And if you have a subscription, you will be able to visit the archives and access the past puzzles.  

Note: NYT Mini Crossword games are released at 10 p.m. EST  from Sunday to Friday and 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.

How To Play NYT Mini Crossword

You will be required to follow the clues for the Across and Down columns and enter letters in the white squares that will help you form words or phrases that overlap each other.

How will you know whether you have finished the puzzle?

If you finish a puzzle, you will hear a music and see a congratulatory message on your screen. If you do not see a message even on filling up the entire grid, it means there is an incorrect entry somewhere. A blue star signifies the end of an NYT Mini Crossword.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Arrow keys - It is with the arrow keys that you can choose a new direction within a square, move in the direction pointed by an arrow, and jump to either the first square in a word or the next clue.

Spacebar - With spacebar, you can switch between Across and Down columns.

Backspace (Delete on Macs) - It helps you remove one or more letters from a word.

Tab - It lets you move to the next clue.

Shift + Tab - With this keyboard shortcut, you can return to the previous clue.

Escape - The Escape button allows you to enter the Rebus mode and fill in multiple letters in a box.

NYT Mini Crossword is generally in the default pen mode wherein the letters are black in color. As you select the pencil icon, you will enter the pencil mode and the color of the letters will turn from black to gray. And the one that you confirm with Check will be blue in color.