The New York Times Mini Crossword is a daily brain workout that fits a short challenge into a little grid. Some clues can stop even the most expert solvers, even though they are usually done in a few minutes. For July 22, 2025, one clue that might have made people stop is "Small donkey of the Southwest."
This page has the answer to that clue and a full list of all the answers to today's NYT Mini Crossword. In addition to the daily solve, we give you tips on how to deal with different sorts of clues and get better at crosswords in general.
The answers to today's NYT Mini Crossword for July 22, 2025
Here are the answers to today's NYT Mini Crossword for anybody who want to finish their puzzle or check their work for July 22, 2025:
Across Clues and Answers:
Down Clues and Answers:
How to figure out the "Small Donkey of the Southwest" clue
The answer BURRO is directly related to the clue "Small donkey of the Southwest." In American English, this is a frequent word for a tiny donkey. Geographical or cultural clues are commonly used in crossword puzzles to help people find certain words. "Southwest" narrows the options in this scenario, therefore "BURRO" is a good pick.
Crossword Enthusiast: The NYT Mini Crossword is a daily brain workout. Sometimes, just one clue, like "Small Donkey of the Southwest," can be the hardest thing of the day!
What is a Burro? More Than Just a Crossword Clue
A burro is a miniature donkey, especially one that is employed as a pack animal in Mexico and the southwestern United States. "Burro" comes from the Spanish word "burrico," which means "donkey." These animals are tough and can carry heavy loads over rough terrain, which makes them useful in dry areas. "Donkey" is a broad name, but "burro" brings to mind these animals in the American Southwest, where they are commonly linked to mining and exploration in the past.
How to Solve Animal-Related Crossword Clues
Crossword clues on animals might be easy or hard to figure out. Sometimes they use the animal's common name, and other times they use a specific breed, a sound it produces, or even a cultural reference that has to do with the animal. The regional background was very important for "Small donkey of the Southwest." When you see animal cues, always think about synonyms, regional words, and noises.
How to Get Better at the NYT Mini Crossword
People like the NYT Mini Crossword because it gives their brains a quick workout every day. There are few things you can do to help you solve these riddles every time.
How to Solve the NYT Mini Quickly
A lot of players want to solve the Mini as rapidly as they can. One smart way to do this is to read all the Across clues first and fill in any answers that are easy to see. Next, do the same for the Down hints. Often, letters filled in from one direction will help you solve overlapping words in the other. Look for short words because they usually offer fewer alternative responses. Speed comes from practice.
Speed Solver: For a lot of people, the NYT Mini is a race against time. Knowing frequent replies like "BURRO" gives you an edge!
How to Use Context Clues Well
Crossword clues often give suggestions that aren't just a direct definition. Be careful with how you use capital letters, short forms, and punctuation. A clue that ends with a question mark, for example, usually means that there is a pun or wordplay. If a clue has the words "abbr." or "for short," it means that it is an abbreviation. Geographical references, like "Southwest" in today's problem, are significant hints that help you figure out what the answer is.
Puzzle Master: To figure out "BURRO" for "Small Donkey of the Southwest," you need to do more than just find the answer. You also need to comprehend how clever crossword clues are.
Answers and clues for the NYT Mini Crossword that are often hard to figure out
The Mini is meant to be easy to use, however some types of clues show up a lot and can be hard. Being able to see these patterns can help you solve problems much faster.
A Guide to Geographical Clues in Crosswords
Countries, cities, rivers, or regions are often used as geographical clues. They could use either general names or more specialized ones. For example, "Country on one side of Lake Titicaca" could show up, and the response would be PERU. These clues check how well you know about geography in general. If a clue says something like "Southwest," think of words or things that are often linked to that location.
Famous Past NYT Mini Clues and Answers
The NYT Mini likes to utilize the same ideas or kinds of wordplay over and over again. Knowing how to solve puzzles from the past can be quite helpful. For instance, "The Last of Us leading role" (ELLIE) or "___ Ren, villain in the 'Star Wars' universe" (KYLO) are both examples of pop culture references that are frequent. There are also a lot of food-related clues, including "Gooey diner sandwiches" (MELTS) and "Orange and brown chip flavor" (BBQ).
Puzzler of the Day: The best thing about the NYT Mini is that it might surprise you. What a surprise that a "Small Donkey of the Southwest" would be today's cognitive teaser!
The NYT Mini Crossword is very popular.
Since it came out in 2014, the NYT Mini Crossword has been very popular. Its attraction comes from how rapid and pleasant it is. The Mini is great for a short break or a quick mental warm-up because it just takes a few minutes to finish, unlike the bigger daily crossword. It gives you a sense of success without taking up a lot of your time. Many puzzle fans do it every day because the clues are simple but smart, and it's easy to find online.
SEO Analyst: Don't let a hard hint like "Small Donkey of the Southwest" stop you from finishing your NYT Mini. A little knowledge of popular answers might help a lot!
If you want to beat the NYT Mini Crossword, you need to know what kinds of clues there are and practice a lot. Today's clue, "Small donkey of the Southwest," is a fantastic illustration of how knowing the right geographical words may help you solve a puzzle quickly.