In case you missed Friday's NYT Mini Crossword, you can find the answers here:

ForbesToday's NYT Mini Crossword Clues and Solutions for Friday October 25thFrom Paul Tassi

Hey, look, I'm back! I've been out of rotation mode for the past two weeks as my colleagues Kris Holt and Paul Tassi have taken the helm, but I'm back and ready to guide you through today's mini crossword puzzle. Let’s dive right in!

The NYT Mini is a smaller, faster, more digestible and bite-sized version of the larger and more challenging NYT Crossword and, unlike its bigger brother, is free to play without requiring a New York Times subscription. You can play it on the web or in the app, although you need the app to edit the archive.

A good tactic with crosswords is to get as many crosswords as possible first, then you'll find that many of the crosswords are already done – or vice versa if the crosswords are more difficult.

While some of today's words are fairly simple, others might leave you stumped. You can find the answers below. Spoilers ahead, of course. Skip ahead to see the picture of today's solved puzzle.

ABOVE

1 – “What ___?” (end of a riddle) – AMI

4 – Cheer for a diva – BRAVA

6 – 2024 Chappell Roan hit is evident in the chorus – HOTTOGO

8 – Conjunction that translates “et” (French) or “y” (Spanish) into “AND”.

9 – Denson from “Cheers” – TED

10 – Place to dive in a pool – DEEPEND

12 – What a bloodhound pursues – SCENT

13 – Activist Yoko – ONO

DOWN

1 – Architectural style of the Chrysler Building in Manhattan – ARTDECO

2 – You could say: “Welcome!” or “Beware of dogs” – MAT

3 – “Thumbs down from me” – IVOTENO

4 – Skeleton Makeup – BONES

6 – Word by ticket or talent – ​​AGENT

7 – Strange – strange

11 – Item on a chain in a bank branch – PEN

Today isn't too bad for one of the trickier NYT mini crosswords I've played recently. I also played occasionally while doing other things, so my time – 4:17 – doesn't count. Multitasking! The hardest ones for me today were Chappell Roan's hit (I like their Tiny Desk concert, but I'm not a die-hard fan or fan of most pop music) and 3-Down. IVOTENO isn't something you can just guess, you really have to fill in the blanks to get there. All in all it was a fun little challenge today. How have you been? let me know TwitterInstagram or Facebook.

If you also play Wordle, I also write instructions for it. You can find these and all of my TV guides, reviews and much more here on my blog. Thanks for reading!