The Mini — The New York Times’ quick daily crossword — delivered a short, themed puzzle for Tuesday, August 12, 2025. With only a handful of clues, it’s built for speed, so here are the clues and answers to help if you got stuck.
Across
– Workplace for scientists — Lab
– Grub — Chow
– Maliciously revealed one’s private identity, informally — Doxed
– Spanish “but” — Pero
– Gasoline type: Abbr. — Reg
Down
– TV screen option, for short — LCD
– ___, a skip and a jump — A hop
– Someone who’s always taking jabs at you? — Boxer
– Used to be — Were
– ___ days (time of summer suggested by the answers to the starred clues) — Dog
Theme note: The starred across answers — Lab, Chow, Boxer — are all dog breeds, which points to the revealer “Dog” and the phrase “Dog days.” That tidy theme ties the puzzle together.
Quick tips for The Mini
– Start with short answers and fill crossings to narrow possibilities.
– Watch for common abbreviations (e.g., Reg, LCD) and informal spellings (doxed).
– Consider multiple meanings or playful interpretations for clue wording (e.g., “someone taking jabs” = boxer).
Why puzzles like The Mini help: they give a fast cognitive boost, sharpen vocabulary and pattern recognition, and are satisfying to finish in a few minutes — perfect for a coffee break.
If you want more daily puzzles, check your favorite games hub for options like crossword, Sudoku, Mahjong, and other NYT game formats such as Strands.