‘NYT Mini’ crossword clues and answers for Wednesday, April 9

The New York Times Mini Crossword is the perfect bite-sized brain workout. With just a 5x5 grid, it’s a fast-paced version of its big sibling that’s ideal for anyone looking to sneak in a quick puzzle fix. Most weekdays, it’s just a handful of clues in each direction—easy to finish, hard to forget.

Unlike the full-size crossword, the Mini is totally free to play on the NYT website or the Games app. If you want to dive into older puzzles, though, you’ll need a subscription.

I like to treat it like a daily race—my goal is to finish under a minute. Today’s puzzle? A breezy 50-second run. It was smooth sailing for the most part, although I had to dig a little to recall the name of Oscar-winning director Sean Baker. And wow, that Confucius quote—"Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance"—was a surprise gem. Hadn’t heard that one before, but it’s definitely sticking with me now.

Oh, and a shoutout to a blast from the past—Big Mouth Billy Bass makes an appearance. If you’re of a certain age, you probably remember that singing fish on a plaque. It was equal parts hilarious and horrifying.

Anyway, if you’re stuck on today’s grid, I’ve got you covered. Here are the answers (spoiler alert ahead!):

Across

DIRT – Word after “cheap as” or “old as”

BAKER – Sean ___, director who won four Oscars for Anora

ANNIE – “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” musical

SCONE – Pastry at a tea shop

SEWS – Works on a quilt, perhaps

Down

DANCE – “Never give a sword to a man who can’t ___”: Confucius

IKNOW – “You don’t need to tell me!”

REINS – Straps for a horseback rider

TREE – One might be shady

BASS – Big Mouth Billy ___ (singing animatronic fish)

Until tomorrow’s puzzle—happy solving!