Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for May 16

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword took me longer than usual. 1-Down is tough — hint, there’s an old-fashioned bottled beverage with the same name. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for May 16, 2025
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Unit of distance that can precede “stone” and “age”
Answer: MILE
5A clue: Kind of powder used for hot chocolate
Answer: COCOA
6A clue: On the button
Answer: EXACT
7A clue: Connections
Answer: LINKS
8A clue: “___ not and say we did!”
Answer: LETS
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Gutsy determination
Answer: MOXIE
2D clue: “That’s not gonna work for me”
Answer: ICANT
3D clue: Strands
Answer: LOCKS
4D clue: Has a bite
Answer: EATS
5D clue: Spreadsheet unit
Answer: CELL
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.