NYT Mini Crossword Clues & Answers - Jan 1

Thursday, January 01, 2026

By Sam Ezersky

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NYT Mini Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Word on either side of "___-eat-___"
  2. 4Word on either side of "___, all ___!"
  3. 5Word on either side of "___ say ___"
  4. 6First-string squad
  5. 7Causes injury to

Down

  1. 1Someone who might be swimming with the fishes
  2. 2An hour past midnight
  3. 3Hand sanitizer targets
  4. 4Like a crossword clue about crossword clues
  5. 5"I'll pass, thanks"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Word on either side of "___-eat-___" — Answer: DOG
  2. 4. Word on either side of "___, all ___!" — Answer: MINE
  3. 5. Word on either side of "___ say ___" — Answer: NEVER
  4. 6. First-string squad — Answer: ATEAM
  5. 7. Causes injury to — Answer: HARMS

Down

  1. 1. Someone who might be swimming with the fishes — Answer: DIVER
  2. 2. An hour past midnight — Answer: ONEAM
  3. 3. Hand sanitizer targets — Answer: GERMS
  4. 4. Like a crossword clue about crossword clues — Answer: META
  5. 5. "I'll pass, thanks" — Answer: NAH

Here are the NYT Mini Crossword answers for Thursday, January 1, 2026 — every across and down solution for that day's 5×5 puzzle, listed at the top of this page. Whether you're catching up on a Mini you missed, settling a “what was the answer on January 1?” question, or checking a grid you finished that day, the complete clue-by-clue solution is right here. If you're after today's puzzle instead, head to our live NYT Mini answers page.

NYT Mini answers for January 1, 2026

The full solution for the January 1 Mini is shown above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as that day's grid read. Because the Mini is a compact 5×5, one missing letter tends to block several crossing answers at once, so each answer is listed separately: you can check just the one you were stuck on and leave the rest. This is the confirmed grid as published on Thursday, January 1.

Hints for the January 1 Mini

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's puzzle before the solutions above. The January 1 Mini fell on a Thursday, and while the Mini keeps a fairly even difficulty all week, its clues lean on quick general knowledge and current culture — so a single unfamiliar name is usually the one square that trips solvers up. Use the hints for that day's trickiest clues, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.

Looking for a different day?

Prefer to solve rather than peek? The play button opens the puzzle so you can try that day's grid yourself, then come back to check your answers. Stuck on a single clue from any puzzle, our crossword solver reveals just that answer from your known letters.

Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Mini Crossword answers on January 1, 2026?

Every across and down answer for the Thursday, January 1, 2026 Mini is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

Where can I find today's NYT Mini answers?

Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Mini answers today page, updated the moment each new Mini goes live.

How do I look up a different date?

Use the previous/next links above to step day by day, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive.

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