Today’s NYT Mini Crossword for Tuesday, February 3, 2026, brings a mix of modern tech and classic language quirks. If you haven’t been keeping up with the latest AI releases or need a refresher on your figures of speech, this puzzle might take a few extra seconds.
Whether you are stuck on the “upside down” clue or the fast-food order, we have the full solution below.
Puzzle Analysis
Today’s grid is a standard 5×5 Tuesday puzzle.
- Theme: No central theme, but a nice nod to technology (OpenAI’s Sora) and linguistics (Idioms).
- Tricky Clues: The clue “1-Across, flipped upside down” is a fun visual trick that requires you to solve 1-Across first. The tech clue about video clips might stump those not following AI news.
Hints for Today’s Puzzle
Need a nudge without seeing the completed grid? Here are hint-based breakdowns for the tougher clues.
Across Hints:
- 1 Across: A three-letter exclamation of amazement (“That’s incredible!”).
- 4 Across: Slips up or makes a mistake.
- 6 Across: Phrases like “Piece of cake” or “Spill the beans.”
- 7 Across: Cool in a vintage or throwback kind of way.
- 8 Across: What you might do while sleeping (linked to 1-Down).
Down Hints:
- 1 Down: Combined with 8-Across, something strange you might wake up from.
- 2 Down: What you speak into a fast-food drive-thru intercom.
- 3 Down: To put pen to paper.
- 4 Down: OpenAI’s text-to-video model released in 2024/2025.
- 5 Down: If you flip the word “WOW” upside down, you get this family member.
Spoilers Below!
Warning: The section below contains the direct answers for today’s puzzle.
Across Answers
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “That’s incredible!” | WOW |
| 4 | Makes a mistake | ERRS |
| 6 | “Piece of cake” or “spill the beans” | IDIOM |
| 7 | Cool in a throwback kind of way | RETRO |
| 8 | See 1-Down | DREAM |
Down Answers
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | With 9-Across (8-Across), something you might wake up from and go “Huh?!” | WEIRD |
| 2 | What’s spoken into a fast-food intercom | ORDER |
| 3 | Pen | WRITE |
| 4 | OpenAI product that creates video clips based on prompts | SORA |
| 5 | 1-Across, flipped upside down | MOM |
How to Play NYT Mini Crossword
If you are new to the Mini, here is how to get started:
- The Grid: It is a 5×5 grid (sometimes larger on Saturdays).
- The Goal: Fill in all white squares with letters to form words based on the clues.
- The Timer: The game tracks how fast you solve it. Try to beat your personal best!
- Rebus: Unlike the main crossword, the Mini rarely uses complex tricks or “Rebus” squares (multiple letters in one box).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the answer to 1 Across in today’s Mini?
The answer to “That’s incredible!” is WOW.
What is the answer to 5 Down?
The answer is MOM. The clue “1-Across, flipped upside down” refers to the word WOW looking like MOM when inverted.
When does the NYT Mini reset?
The puzzle resets daily at 10:00 PM ET on weekdays and 6:00 PM ET on weekends.
