NYT Crossword Answers — June 12, 2026
The NYT-style Mini for June 12, 2026 packs a full puzzle into a tiny grid, and today's solution set spans everyday vocabulary from COB, ATHENS, AWE, STARR. Friday leans on music history with a Beatles clue at 7-Across. Because the Mini is so compact, every square does double duty — each letter belongs to both an across answer and a down answer — so a single confident entry can unlock the whole board. Today the shortest answer, COB, is the kind of gimme that gives you crossing letters for the trickier fill, while the longest entry, ATHENS, anchors the grid and often takes a crossing or two to confirm. If you're checking your work or you got stuck on one stubborn square, the complete answer key below lists every across and down clue with its solution and a short explanation. We publish these Mini answers every day, so bookmark the archive and come back whenever a clue has you second-guessing. And if reading the answers gives you the itch to solve one yourself, our free Mini Crossword plays the same way — no subscription and no account required.
NYT Mini Crossword Answers
Friday leans on music history with a Beatles clue at 7-Across.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Piece of corn | COB | A cob is the central core of an ear of corn. |
| 4. Capital of Greece | ATHENS | Athens is the capital of Greece. |
| 6. Feeling of wonder | AWE | Awe is a feeling of reverential wonder. |
| 7. Beatles member Ringo | STARR | Ringo Starr was the drummer of the Beatles. |
| 8. Chewy candy | GUM | Gum is a chewy candy meant to be chewed, not swallowed. |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Baby's bed | CRIB | A crib is a small bed for a baby. |
| 2. Not shut | OPEN | Open is the opposite of shut. |
| 3. Ocean motion | BAY | A bay is a body of water partly enclosed by land. |
| 4. Highest cards | ACES | Aces are the highest-ranking cards in many games. |
| 5. Snake's warning | SSS | A snake makes an s-like hissing warning. |
Every answer explained
COB
Clue: Piece of corn
A cob is the central core of an ear of corn. With 1 vowel across 3 letters, COB is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
ATHENS
Clue: Capital of Greece
Athens is the capital of Greece. As a 6-letter word with 2 vowels, ATHENS interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
AWE
Clue: Feeling of wonder
Awe is a feeling of reverential wonder. As a 3-letter word with 2 vowels, AWE interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
STARR
Clue: Beatles member Ringo
Ringo Starr was the drummer of the Beatles. With 1 vowel across 5 letters, STARR is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
GUM
Clue: Chewy candy
Gum is a chewy candy meant to be chewed, not swallowed. With 1 vowel across 3 letters, GUM is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
CRIB
Clue: Baby's bed
A crib is a small bed for a baby. With 1 vowel across 4 letters, CRIB is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
OPEN
Clue: Not shut
Open is the opposite of shut. As a 4-letter word with 2 vowels, OPEN interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
BAY
Clue: Ocean motion
A bay is a body of water partly enclosed by land. BAY is a tidy 3-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
ACES
Clue: Highest cards
Aces are the highest-ranking cards in many games. ACES is a tidy 4-letter fill (2 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
SSS
Clue: Snake's warning
A snake makes an s-like hissing warning. With 0 vowels across 3 letters, SSS is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
Explore clues from this puzzle
Tips for solving
- 1Start with the fill-in-the-blank and short (3-letter) clues — they're usually the fastest points and hand you crossing letters for everything else.
- 2Work outward from your most confident answer instead of top-to-bottom; in a Mini, one solid entry unlocks four or five neighbors.
- 3If a clue ends in a question mark, expect wordplay or a pun rather than a literal definition.
- 4Plural clues almost always mean the answer ends in S — pencil that last letter in early.
- 5When two answers seem possible, let the crossing clue break the tie rather than guessing.