Conquer the NYT Mini Crossword: Your Ultimate Guide for Sunday, October 5, 2025!

Welcome, puzzle enthusiasts! Ready to conquer today's mental workout? The New York Times Mini Crossword for Sunday, October 5, 2025, is here, offering a delightful challenge. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting your crossword journey, we're here to provide all the extra hints and solutions you need to emerge victorious.

Today's puzzle promises a mix of clever wordplay and general knowledge.

Don't worry if a few clues leave you scratching your head – that's part of the fun! Our comprehensive guide below is designed to gently nudge you in the right direction, offering hints before revealing the full answers.

Remember, the best way to enjoy the Mini Crossword is to try solving it on your own first.

Use these hints only when you feel genuinely stuck, and then check the answers to see how well you did! This particular puzzle includes clues related to legal terms, sports strategies, and common phrases. Let's dive in!

Today's Clues (Sunday, October 5, 2025):

Across:

1. Prison-related
2. Basketball offenses
3. Improve in appearance, with UP

Down:

1. "I'm going to take this as a ___"
2. "You're making a mountain out of a ___"
3. Suffix for "kitchen" or "dungeon"

Extra Hints for a Helping Hand:

Feeling a bit stumped? No worries! These hints are crafted to give you a gentle push without giving everything away immediately.

Think about synonyms, common phrases, and word associations.

Across:

1. For 'Prison-related': Think about a common prefix that means 'within' or 'in'. What kind of legal actions or environments are associated with being incarcerated?
2. For 'Basketball offenses': In basketball, these aren't bad actions but rather strategic moves or plays designed to score.

   What's a common term for planned attack plays in sports?

3. For 'Improve in appearance, with UP': This is a common phrasal verb. When you want to make something look nicer or more attractive, especially with makeup or decoration, what do you do?

Down:

1. For "I'm going to take this as a ___": This is a common idiom when someone interprets something as a sign or indication of a future event or outcome.

   What single word completes this phrase?

2. For "You're making a mountain out of a ___": Another well-known idiom, this phrase refers to exaggerating the importance or difficulty of a small problem. What small geographical feature is often contrasted with a mountain?
3. For 'Suffix for "kitchen" or "dungeon"': This is a classic crossword clue for a letter grouping that often finishes words, particularly those describing a specific type of room or place.

And the Solutions Are In!

Ready to check your work? Or perhaps you just need to fill in that last stubborn square.

Here are the answers to today's NYT Mini Crossword. No judgment here, just celebration for a puzzle well done!

Across:

1. INMATE (Prison-related)
2. PLAYS (Basketball offenses)
3. DOLLUP (Improve in appearance, with UP)

Down:

1. SIGN ("I'm going to take this as a ___ ")
2. MOLEHILL ("You're making a mountain out of a ___ ")
3. ETTE (Suffix for "kitchen" or "dungeon")

Congratulations on tackling today's NYT Mini Crossword! Whether you solved it all on your own or got a little help from our guide, we hope you enjoyed the mental challenge.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for more daily crossword fun and expert assistance. Happy puzzling!