How to make a Mini
Hi! This is Joel Fagliano, a longtime puzzle editor here at The Times. I create the Mini, which in some ways is the spiritual predecessor of Easy Mode. Making easy puzzles isn’t as easy as it looks. Over my many years of writing the Mini, which is intended to be our easiest puzzle, I’ve developed a number of theories about how to craft an engaging, solvable grid for beginners. First, you’ll need well-known, accessible answers. There’s just no great way to clue the currency of Albania (LEK) or an obscure sea eagle (ERNE). Our easy puzzles at The Times avoid this sort of arcane knowledge. Next, you’ll need an approachable clue set. When I’m making Minis, I often shoot for five of the 10 clues to serve as toeholds in the grid. That means avoiding intentionally misleading wordings, like [Personal growth] for BEARD, or pop culture references that only some solvers will know. Importantly, though, there’s a fine line between easy and dull. Take an answer like CAT. If the goal were simply to write the easiest clue possible, you might jot down [Animal that meows] and move on. We try not to include clues like this in Times crosswords. They don’t give the solver enough credit — even beginner solvers enjoy clues with a layer of cleverness. Maybe that’s through the use of alliteration, like [Purring pet]; a winking juxtaposition, like [Lion or tiger, but not bear]; or a colorful evocation of real-life knowledge, like [Pet that enjoys basking in a patch of sunlight]. All the clues above are from real Minis, and I think all are relatively easy to solve. Still, they give the solver more of a reward, without swerving into obfuscation.
Solve Friday’s Crossword on Easy Mode!
For expert hints on today’s puzzle, read the Wordplay column. Were you able to solve the Friday puzzle with Easy Mode? We want your input! Share your experience with us by email. Easy vs. HardIn today’s daily Friday puzzle, 44-Across has the clue [Good places for a deep dive into research?]. As is true for a lot of clues that end in a question mark, this is a little more literal than the metaphorical expression being used. For Easy Mode, I went with [Places where marine biologists might work]. See if you can solve it!
How are we doing? Thanks for playing! Subscribe to New York Times Games. If you were forwarded this newsletter, you can sign up to receive it regularly here. P.S. The answer to Easy vs. Hard is SEA LABS.
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