The NYT Mini Crossword is one of the most popular free daily word puzzles from The New York Times. If you’re stuck on today’s clues for Thursday, March 5, 2026, you’re in the right place — we’ve got all the hints and answers laid out for you.
What Is the NYT Mini Crossword?
The Mini Crossword is a compact 5×5 version of the classic NYT crossword puzzle. It’s free to play and resets at 10 p.m. ET each night, which is earlier than most other NYT games that reset at midnight.
It’s a quick, satisfying challenge that fits into any part of your day. If you also play other NYT word games, check out our guides for the March 4, 2026 Wordle and March 4, 2026 NYT Connections.
NYT Mini Crossword Hints for March 5, 2026
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here are the hints for each clue in today’s puzzle.
Across Hints
- 1 Across: Poli ___ (college major) — Ends with the letter “I”
- 4 Across: Person with a superior attitude — Starts with the letter “S”
- 5 Across: Word whose letters are appropriately found from left to right in … CHARISMA — Starts with the letter “C”
- 6 Across: … PRECIPITATION — Ends with the letter “N”
- 7 Across: … UNSIGHTLY — Ends with the letter “Y”
Down Hints
- 1 Down: Slow-moving creature — Starts with the letter “S”
- 2 Down: Like a groan-inducing joke — Ends with the letter “Y”
- 3 Down: Co. that created the first floppy disk — Starts with the letter “I”
- 4 Down: Furry variety of carpet — Starts with the letter “S”
- 5 Down: World Class Wreckin’ ___, music group in which Dr. Dre got his start — Ends with the letter “U”
NYT Mini Crossword Answers for March 5, 2026
Ready for the full solutions? Here are all the answers for today’s Mini Crossword puzzle.
Across Answers
- 1 Across: Poli ___ (college major) — SCI
- 4 Across: Person with a superior attitude — SNOB
- 5 Across: Word whose letters are found in CHARISMA — CHARM
- 6 Across: Found in PRECIPITATION — RAIN
- 7 Across: Found in UNSIGHTLY — UGLY
Down Answers
- 1 Down: Slow-moving creature — SNAIL
- 2 Down: Like a groan-inducing joke — CORNY
- 3 Down: Co. that created the first floppy disk — IBM
- 4 Down: Furry variety of carpet — SHAG
- 5 Down: World Class Wreckin’ ___ — CRU
More NYT Puzzle Help
Love word puzzles? We cover all the major NYT games daily. Here are some recent guides to help you keep your streak alive:
- March 3, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
- March 4, 2026 NYT Strands Hints and Answers
- March 4, 2026 Wordle 1719 Hint and Answer
- March 4, 2026 NYT Connections 997 Hints and Answers
Whether you need just a small hint or the full answer, bookmark this page and come back every day for the latest NYT Mini Crossword clues and solutions.