Mini Crossword

Chicago Mini Crossword is a daily bite-sized crossword from the Chicago Sun-Times that packs the satisfaction of a full puzzle into a quick, coffee-break solve.

This is your classic crossword grid scaled down to manageable size. You get a handful of clues across and down, all filling a compact grid that takes minutes, not hours. The clues lean toward wordplay, trivia, and everyday vocabulary, with occasional Chicago nods sprinkled in (look for the 🌭).

• Click a clue or square to start filling in answers.
• Type your answer. The cursor auto-advances to the next square.
• Switch between Across and Down by clicking the clue or tapping the square again.
• Check your work as you go or wait until the end to see if it all connects.
• A fresh puzzle drops every day.

Why we like it:

• ✅Short enough to finish during a commute or between meetings.
• ✅Just the right difficulty for daily solvers without the intimidation factor.
• ✅Made by a real newsroom, so the vibe feels grounded and local.

Hint: Knock out the short words first. Three-letter answers unlock crossing letters fast, and those anchors make the trickier clues way more approachable.