New York Times Mini Crossword releases for June 27‑28, 2026

The New York Times published its daily Mini Crossword on June 27 and June 28, 2026. Both puzzles use a compact 5×5 grid with ten clues – five across and five down – and are designed for quick solving.

The June 28 edition featured a summer‑themed set of clues, including “Sound of relaxation” (answer AHH), “Summer vacation destination” (answer BEACH), and the pop‑culture reference “What the Tin Man wants from the Wizard of Oz” (answer HEART). The June 27 puzzle leaned on familiar everyday words, with entries such as “PIRATES”, “AWESOME”, “PACKRAT”, and the abbreviation “NIH”. Each grid also included a few mild word‑play elements but remained low‑difficulty, encouraging rapid completion.

Both puzzles reflect the NYT’s approach to the Mini Crossword: delivering an accessible, brief brain‑teaser that fits into a short break, with thematic clues that change day‑by‑day while maintaining a consistent format.