NYT Mini Crossword Clues & Answers - Jan 16

Friday, January 16, 2026

By Joel Fagliano

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

NYT Mini Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1___ Max
  2. 4Where Marco Polo is played
  3. 5Overwhelming amount, metaphorically
  4. 6Reason for success in games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders
  5. 7"That's just the worst"

Down

  1. 1Liquor, informally
  2. 2Winner of a Booker prize, fittingly
  3. 3Antiquated
  4. 4Give a short promotion for
  5. 5Winter malady

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. ___ Max — Answer: HBO
  2. 4. Where Marco Polo is played — Answer: POOL
  3. 5. Overwhelming amount, metaphorically — Answer: FLOOD
  4. 6. Reason for success in games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders — Answer: LUCK
  5. 7. "That's just the worst" — Answer: UGH

Down

  1. 1. Liquor, informally — Answer: HOOCH
  2. 2. Winner of a Booker prize, fittingly — Answer: BOOK
  3. 3. Antiquated — Answer: OLD
  4. 4. Give a short promotion for — Answer: PLUG
  5. 5. Winter malady — Answer: FLU

Here are the NYT Mini Crossword answers for Friday, January 16, 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 16?” 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 16, 2026

The full solution for the January 16 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 Friday, January 16.

Hints for the January 16 Mini

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's puzzle before the solutions above. The January 16 Mini fell on a Friday, 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 16, 2026?

Every across and down answer for the Friday, January 16, 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.

Crossword Solver NYT Crossword Answers NYT Mini Crossword Answers Wordle Hint Today Connections Hint Today