Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today's Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

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Need some help with today's Mini Crossword? It's an extra-long one today. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET's NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let's get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for Jan. 3, 2026.

NYT/Screenshot by CNET

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Tapioca pearls
Answer: BOBA

5A clue: Disappear into thin air
Answer: VANISH

7A clue: "C'mon, we expect more from you"
Answer: DOBETTER

9A clue: Dangerous, as a winter sidewalk
Answer: ICY

10A clue: Social media ___ (what we're in now)
Answer: ERA

11A clue: Feeling down
Answer: SAD

12A clue: Director Howard
Answer: RON

13A clue: Nightlife for which Miami is famous
Answer: CLUBBING

16A clue: Cause of early aging
Answer: STRESS

17A clue: The sun in "sunnyside up"
Answer: YOLK

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: New parent's reason for canceling plans**
Answer: BABYDUTY**

2D clue: 4/4**
Answer: ONE**

3D clue: Fraction of a byte**
Answer: BIT**

4D clue: Symbol next to a tainted record**
Answer: ASTERISK**

5D clue: Singer's contribution to a song**
Answer: VOCALS**

6D clue: Long-necked birds**
Answer: HERONS**

7D clue: ___ golf**
Answer: DISC**

8D clue: Sounded, as a doorbell**
Answer: RANG**

14D clue: "Dude!"**
Answer: BRO**

15D clue: ___ Air (neighborhood in L.A.)**
Answer: BEL**

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