Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Jan 23, 2026

Need the answers to today’s Mini Crossword? The Jan. 23, 2026 puzzle from The New York Times is a breezy solve—if you recognize a certain blond actor at 8-Across. Miss that pop-culture nod, and the grid can stall for a beat.

Here’s the full breakdown so you can check your work quickly.

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🧩 Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers (Jan. 23, 2026)

➡️ Mini Across Clues & Answers

1A. Attach, as one plant to another
👉 GRAFT

6A. Email button with a backward-facing arrow
👉 REPLY

7A. Make very excited
👉 AMPUP

8A. Two-time Best Actor nominee Nick
👉 NOLTE

9A. Total dork
👉 DWEEB

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⬇️ Mini Down Clues & Answers

1D. Word that can precede piano, total or staircase
👉 GRAND

2D. Cut again, as a lawn
👉 REMOW

3D. Company whose logo has a bite taken out of it
👉 APPLE

4D. Champagne glass
👉 FLUTE

5D. Laid-back kind of personality
👉 TYPEB

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🎬 Why Today’s Mini Was Fun

The standout is 8A: NOLTE, a clean pop-culture gimme if you’re familiar with Nick Nolte. Once that clicks, the rest of the grid falls into place with smooth, common fill.

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🧠 Mini Solving Tip

When a Mini clue calls out a first name + accolade (like “Best Actor nominee”), think actors whose last names are short and vowel-light—they’re frequent crossword favorites.

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⭐ Puzzle Highlights

• NOLTE (8A) is the main pop-culture test today
• REMOW is a sneaky verb that can slow solvers
• Balanced grid with no gimmicks—classic Friday Mini feel
• Medium difficulty, but very clean fill

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the NYT Mini Crossword?

The Mini Crossword uses a 5×5 grid, designed for fast daily solving.

What was the trickiest clue today?

Most solvers stumbled on REMOW (2D) or NOLTE (8A) if pop culture knowledge was rusty.

Is the NYT Mini Crossword free?

Yes, the current day’s Mini Crossword is free to play on NYT Games.

How long does today’s Mini Crossword take?

Most players finish in 1–3 minutes.

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💬 Your Turn

Did NOLTE jump out right away, or did crossings save you?
How fast was today’s solve?

Drop your time and thoughts below 👇

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Puzzle: NYT Mini Crossword
Date: January 23, 2026
Author: TechBoltX Team