Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers Jan 14, 2026

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026

Looking for today’s NYT Mini Crossword answers for January 14, 2026? You’re in the right place. Today’s Mini wasn’t overly difficult, but 8-Across tripped up plenty of solvers, forcing many to rely on the Down clues to finish the grid.

Below you’ll find all Across and Down answers, plus a quick breakdown of what made today’s puzzle interesting.

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🧩 About Today’s Mini Crossword

NYT Mini Crossword is known for being quick—but clever. Today’s puzzle leaned on modern slang, pop culture, and a historical trivia clue, making it approachable once a few crossings were filled.

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✅ Mini Crossword Across Clues & Answers (Jan. 14)

Here are all the Across solutions for today’s puzzle:

• 1A: Abruptly stop texting → GHOST
• 6A: Shaving kit item → RAZOR
• 7A: 2024 film role for which Mikey Madison won Best Actress → ANORA
• 8A: The ancient Chinese used compressed blocks of tea leaves as this → MONEY
• 9A: Shape of a round chart → PIE

The standout clue today was 8A (MONEY), which required a bit of historical knowledge and slowed down many solvers.

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⬇️ Mini Crossword Down Clues & Answers

The Down clues helped unlock the tougher Across entries:

• 1D: Dad’s dad, informally → GRAMP
• 2D: Capital of Vietnam → HANOI
• 3D: ___ layer, part of Earth’s atmosphere → OZONE
• 4D: How you might wake up after sleeping funny → SORE
• 5D: Cafeteria food carrier → TRAY

Once HANOI and OZONE were in place, the grid filled in smoothly.

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🧠 Why Today’s Mini Crossword Was Tricky

This puzzle stood out because:

• 8-Across relied on historical trivia
• Modern slang like GHOST contrasted with ancient references
• Down clues were more straightforward than Across clues

It’s a good reminder that skipping around the grid often leads to faster solves.

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🧩 Mini Crossword Solving Tips

To solve Minis like today’s:

• Use Down clues first if Across feels vague
• Expect a mix of slang, pop culture, and history
• Don’t overthink short answers—they’re usually direct

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are today’s NYT Mini Crossword answers?

The answers for Jan. 14, 2026 are GHOST, RAZOR, ANORA, MONEY, PIE, GRAMP, HANOI, OZONE, SORE, and TRAY.

Which clue was hardest today?

8-Across (MONEY) was the toughest for many solvers.

Is the NYT Mini Crossword free to play?

Yes, the Mini Crossword is free on The New York Times Games site and app.

How long does the Mini Crossword usually take?

Most players finish in under two minutes, depending on difficulty.