Mini crossword
Green Theta
A five by five with a Greek letter for angles, a go signal and a cabbage side dish. A little wordplay included.
- Size
- 5 by 5
- Level
- Medium
- Clues
- 10
- By
- Ribbia
- Published
- October 8, 2026
Mini / 5 by 5
Time0 seconds
Filled0/21
Checks0
Reveals0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1 across: Run at an easy pace (3 letters)
Across
Down
Click a square; click again to switch between across and down. Type to fill, arrows move, Tab or Enter jumps to the next clue, Backspace clears. All crosswords
Rules
- 1.Fill every white square with a letter so that each run of squares, across and down, spells the answer to its clue.
- 2.Each answer starts at a numbered square. 1 Across and 1 Down share their first letter, so every letter you place helps two clues.
- 3.Answers are common English words or familiar phrases, written without spaces or punctuation.
- 4.A clue ending in a question mark is playing with words. A blank, written as ___, asks for the missing word.
- 5.Minis are 5 by 5 and take a minute or two. Themed puzzles are larger, and their longest answers share a hidden link.
- 6.The puzzle is solved when every square holds the right letter. Checks and reveals help when you are stuck, and the readout counts them.
How to play
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Click or tap a square | Select it; click again to switch between across and down |
| Letters | Fill the square and move along the word |
| Arrow keys | Move; the first press across the word turns the cursor |
| Tab or Enter | Jump to the next clue with an empty square (Shift goes back) |
| Space | Switch between across and down |
| Backspace | Clear the square, or step back and clear |
| Check and Reveal | Check a letter, word or the whole grid; reveal a letter or word |
Strategy
- Start with the short answers and the fill in the blank clues: they are usually the quickest wins.
- Read the clue's grammar. A plural clue wants a plural answer, and a past tense clue a past tense one.
- When a long answer will not come, fill its crossings first. Three or four letters often give it away.
- A question mark means wordplay: think of puns, double meanings and phrases taken literally.
- In a themed puzzle, solve one long answer, then look for the link. It makes the others much easier.
- Common endings such as S, ED, ER and ING are safe guesses at the end of a word when the clue agrees.
Questions
- How does the daily mini work?
- Every UTC day one mini is the daily mini, the same for everyone. Open it from the crosswords page, solve it, and your daily streak grows by one.
- Do checks and reveals count against me?
- They are counted and shown in your result, and only a solve without reveals can set your best time. There is no other penalty, so use them when you want.
- Can I play on a phone?
- Yes. On a phone the active clue sits in a bar above a compact keyboard, so the system keyboard never covers the grid. Tap the clue to switch direction.
- Who writes the crosswords?
- Every grid and clue is original, written for Ribbia, with everyday words and fair clues. No obscure fill, no abbreviations you have to memorise.
- How do challenge links work?
- After you solve, copy the challenge link. It opens the same puzzle with your time shown as the time to beat.