Okay folks, buckle up. My morning ritual ain’t complete without wrestling that tiny demon called the NYT Mini Crossword. May 30th, 2025? Yeah, that one made me sweat more than my coffee mug. Here’s exactly how it went down.
Grabbed my phone around 7 AM, still half-asleep. Opened the app, saw the fresh puzzle loaded up. Thought it looked kinda friendly at first glance. Pfft. Big mistake. Started hammering in answers where I felt sure. Got 1-Across real quick: “Friendly note ending?” – obvious, XO. Then breezed through 5-Across “Beat decisively” – boom, ROUT. Felt like a genius already. Shoulda known.
Hit a wall at 3-Down: “Sushi topping.” My brain kept yelling “TUNA!” but the squares didn’t fit. Duh. Four letters. Sat there scratching my head like a confused parrot. Remembered that awful miso soup I had Tuesday – suddenly clicked. ROE. God, I hate roe.
Middle section murdered me. 8-Across “Make sharp, in a way” – six letters. Stared blankly. Tried “HONE.” Nope. Tried “GRIND.” Nada. Almost threw my toast across the kitchen. Took a breath, walked the dog. Came back, looked sideways at the clue. Lightbulb moment. STROPE. That old-timey word nobody uses. Seriously?
Down to the last two. 2-Down: “Washed in the shower.” Five letters. Brain totally empty. Guessed “SOAPY.” Wrong. Swore loudly. Then pictured actual shower mechanics. RINSED. Felt like Einstein discovering gravity while tripping on a rubber duck.
Final boss: 7-Across “Tiny terrors.” Four letters. Brain fired “ANTS!” but too short. Tried “MICE.” Still no. Remembered stepping on a LEGO last night. Bingo. TOYS. Slapped it in. Puzzle done. 28 minutes of pure agony mixed with stupid relief.
Truth? Some days the mini feels like tickling a kitten. Today felt like wrestling a greased pig. But hey – pig pinned. Until tomorrow’s beast shows up.