Mini Crossword archive - May 2026

All Mini Crossword puzzles from May 2026 with complete solutions. Open a day to see the full answer, or jump in and play the puzzle yourself first.

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Puzzle from 31 May 2026 - Puzzle #34

Across

Give the green light ALLOW
Bring into being CREATE
Dame Christie of crime fiction AGATHA
Rally the troops MUSTER
Rabbit of Beatrix Potter fame PETER

Down

Theatrically over-the-top CAMP
Bicker in the pub ARGUE
Smallest amount LEAST
Frothy Costa order LATTE
Not this one OTHER
Sport, as a tie WEAR

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Puzzle from 30 May 2026 - Puzzle #33

Across

Deep end of the choir BASS
The rest of the lot OTHERS
Two-channel sound system STEREO
Second-place shine SILVER
Split down the middle CLEFT

Down

Person giving the orders BOSS
Loft above the landing ATTIC
Tortoise's armour SHELL
Wimbledon opener SERVE
Sailor's knot REEF
Type or kind SORT

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Puzzle from 29 May 2026 - Puzzle #32

Across

Pint of hoppy ale BITTER
Stick to the rules ADHERE
S, on the radio SIERRA
Hammer film genre HORROR
Cheek-rolling drop TEAR

Down

Birthday do BASH
Wally IDIOT
Opposite of here THERE
___ firma TERRA
Slip-up ERROR
Bring up the kids REAR

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Puzzle from 28 May 2026 - Puzzle #31

Across

Uni grounds CAMPUS
Toast subject HEALTH
List of printed slip-ups ERRATA
Take in, as a child FOSTER
Register response HERE

Down

Kitchen boss CHEF
Aviation-related prefix AERO
Boggy ground MARSH
Dinner's landing pad PLATE
Sheer, total UTTER
Slice of the pie SHARE

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Puzzle from 27 May 2026 - Puzzle #30

Across

What a spider might inspire FEAR
Popular pub lager STELLA
Muscle-to-bone connector TENDON
Cockney's is distinctive ACCENT
Comforting word said twice THERE

Down

Dashboard figure STAT
IT sector, informally TECH
Garden boundary FENCE
Berry-bearing senior? ELDER
Left to one's own devices ALONE
Go off on one RANT

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Puzzle from 26 May 2026 - Puzzle #29

Across

The ___ League PREM
Push toward a distant goal STRIVE
Clean the rug, British-style HOOVER
Completely off one's rocker INSANE
Spud prep step PEEL

Down

Dickens wrote it, not verse PROSE
Derby day foe RIVAL
Like two and four EVEN
Nothing more than MERE
Vessel at sea SHIP
Voice quality or colour shade TONE

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Puzzle from 25 May 2026 - Puzzle #28

Across

Good Hope's landform? CAPE
Holden on the telly AMANDA
NHS ward boss, once SISTER
A knight's due, perhaps? ESTEEM
Windsor's spare? HARRY

Down

Barrister's work CASE
Barn-raising community AMISH
Penne or fusilli PASTA
Stage direction? ENTER
Richmond Park grazers DEER
Boots and barracks lot ARMY

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Puzzle from 24 May 2026 - Puzzle #27

Across

Dig for a cause? ROOT
Go without food STARVE
Lime tree LINDEN
Silver, in heraldry ARGENT
Lord who squints? PEER

Down

Quick way to see red? SLAP
Need a sit-down TIRE
Cooker or mountain chain RANGE
Monk's calling? ORDER
Where buns are baked OVEN
Camper's shelter TENT

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Puzzle from 23 May 2026 - Puzzle #26

Across

Heavy metal role? LEAD
Steady horse home STABLE
Knight's distinction HONOUR
What the taxman targets INCOME
Cheeky glance PEEK

Down

Suffix for relation? SHIP
Dialling sound TONE
Jousting weapon LANCE
Kindle download EBOOK
Pickling powder in Nan's pantry ALUM
Precious, in Geordie DERE

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Puzzle from 22 May 2026 - Puzzle #25

Across

Chimney top STACK
Week-old gym socks SMELLY
Holstered weapon PISTOL
Claim without proof ALLEGE
By a whisker? NEAR

Down

Bridge's reach SPAN
Mona Lisa's secret SMILE
Musk's car company TESLA
Take in, say ALTER
Dutch shoe CLOG
Jeremy ___ (TV host) KYLE

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Puzzle from 21 May 2026 - Puzzle #24

Across

Chat show host Jonathan ROSS
Online alter ego AVATAR
By the absolute bucketload GALORE
Cricket side ELEVEN
Commons place to win? SEAT

Down

All the ___ RAGE
Kennington cricket ground OVAL
January bargain events SALES
Aga, for one STOVE
Postcode patch AREA
Flat payment RENT

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Puzzle from 20 May 2026 - Puzzle #23

Across

Cast about for compliments? FISH
Butler's pantry SPENCE
Fox pursuer on horseback HUNTER
Take the stairs, perhaps ASCEND
Question of place WHERE

Down

Pygmalion playwright SHAW
Pram action at the park PUSH
Garden boundary FENCE
Lay to rest INTER
Making one is frowned upon SCENE
Crowd of cattle HERD

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Puzzle from 19 May 2026 - Puzzle #22

Across

Ship's lean LIST
Boxer's ready position STANCE
Imagine singer LENNON
Say yes to ACCEPT
Neither here nor ___ THERE

Down

Blind strip SLAT
Gadget expert, briefly TECH
Knight's weapon LANCE
Closer to the centre INNER
Room to manoeuvre SCOPE
Canvas home at Glastonbury? TENT

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Puzzle from 18 May 2026 - Puzzle #21

Across

Sideways scuttler CRAB
PM Macmillan's first name HAROLD
Tree-lined road AVENUE
Professor's job security TENURE
Pointer in a lecture hall? LASER

Down

Quick word with a mate CHAT
Boléro composer RAVEL
O2, for one ARENA
Christmas extra from the boss BONUS
Angler's fly, e.g. LURE
Richmond Park grazer DEER

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Puzzle from 17 May 2026 - Puzzle #20

Across

Hospital rush order STAT
Room or wage LIVING
Blood cell shortage ANEMIA
Mum or dad PARENT
Family diagram TREE

Down

Quick coat of paint? SLAP
___ Turner TINA
Turn away from AVERT
Egg boiler's gadget TIMER
Cat's lives count NINE
Garden entrance GATE

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Puzzle from 16 May 2026 - Puzzle #19

Across

Bar in the night sky? MARS
Islamic legal code SHARIA
Wall's top course COPING
Level charges without proof ALLEGE
Dance that might make you dizzy? REEL

Down

Badge from an old wound SCAR
Doughnut's centre HOLE
Syrup tree MAPLE
Tempest sprite ARIEL
Boxing venue? RING
Wisdom in the herb garden? SAGE

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Puzzle from 15 May 2026 - Puzzle #18

Across

Register contents? CASH
Lincolnshire market town BOSTON
Remove all doubt ENSURE
Meeting's to-do list AGENDA
It's immaterial? MATTER

Down

Cheshire Cat's expression BEAM
Party line dance CONGA
Balance sheet plus ASSET
Pulled on a film set? STUNT
Genghis Khan's lot? HORDE
___ and dear NEAR

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Puzzle from 14 May 2026 - Puzzle #17

Across

Fifty shades subject GREY
Troops' fighting spirit MORALE
___ Holden, BGT judge AMANDA
Park patrol officer RANGER
Key on a keyboard? ENTER

Down

Right disaster, slangily MARE
Muscat's country OMAN
Award or Mitchell GRANT
Kitchen cooker RANGE
Sibling born before you ELDER
Twelve-month stretch YEAR

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Puzzle from 13 May 2026 - Puzzle #16

Across

Go off, or indulge? SPOIL
Where you stand on things? STANCE
Holmes's flatmate WATSON
Parthenon's home city ATHENS
Robin's building project? NEST

Down

Graceful lake bird SWAN
Declare a total mess? STATE
Ramblers follow these PATHS
Beginning of winter, say ONSET
Desktop symbol ICON
Camera's eye LENS

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Puzzle from 12 May 2026 - Puzzle #15

Across

Little terror at teatime BRAT
Like a salt drip SALINE
Fruit or William's house? ORANGE
Take the edge off LESSEN
One at the table EATER

Down

Cobbler's canvas SOLE
Postcode's coverage AREA
Explosion or a ball? BLAST
Run under the tap RINSE
What seeing red means? ANGER
Sixth-former, perhaps TEEN

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Puzzle from 11 May 2026 - Puzzle #14

Across

Dispatch a vessel? SHIP
Nations shake on it TREATY
Belly's complaint HUNGER
Take on a false identity? ASSUME
Biblical 'you' THEE

Down

___ said, ... THAT
Peak-hour scramble RUSH
Sight or smell SENSE
Dutch court city HAGUE
Gossip column couple? ITEM
Viking funeral stack PYRE

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Puzzle from 10 May 2026 - Puzzle #13

Across

Gear on a bike? SPEED
Trooping the Colour event PARADE
Come out of hiding EMERGE
Team sheet ROSTER
Bangers' partner MASH

Down

Curly salon job PERM
Its capital is Apia SAMOA
Iron, in a way PRESS
Fox's den EARTH
Slight advantage EDGE
Richmond Park grazers DEER

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Puzzle from 9 May 2026 - Puzzle #12

Across

Bar bills TABS
Hi-fi in both ears STEREO
Hang about after closing LINGER
Quantity on an invoice AMOUNT
Just a lake MERE

Down

Door's angry goodbye SLAM
What flies having fun? TIME
Pavarotti's voice type TENOR
Have a row ARGUE
___ there, done that BEEN
Put in order SORT

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Puzzle from 8 May 2026 - Puzzle #11

Across

They have beds but no pillows? SEAS
Where cards and notes meet WALLET
Hardly a couch potato ACTIVE
London's river THAMES
Torn, or tenant's payment RENT

Down

What you do to a fly SWAT
Two quid ___ EACH
Church wedding spot ALTAR
Children's gooey plaything SLIME
Not odd, or not bumpy EVEN
Cricket match, or exam TEST

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Puzzle from 7 May 2026 - Puzzle #10

Across

Buzzing mob SWARM
Islamic legal code SHARIA
Guardian of a minor? PARENT
Settle a score for another AVENGE
Flat-topped desert hill MESA

Down

Unwanted inbox filler SPAM
Morning scrape SHAVE
Market stall goods WARES
O2 or Colosseum ARENA
Boxer's stage RING
Check ___ MATE

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Puzzle from 6 May 2026 - Puzzle #9

Across

Golfer's errant drive? SLICE
Announce the arrival of HERALD
Meeting's to-do list AGENDA
One of the world's seven? WONDER
Jane ___ EYRE

Down

Pygmalion playwright SHAW
Danish brick brand LEGO
Adler of Sherlock Holmes IRENE
Sweets, to Americans CANDY
Berry bush or senior? ELDER
Truth's partner in a game DARE

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Puzzle from 5 May 2026 - Puzzle #8

Across

Stretch of land TRACT
Fiery pod CHILLI
Landlord's offering RENTAL
Nod of agreement ASSENT
Pub round order? BEER

Down

Sideways scuttler CRAB
Not those THESE
Quick wash RINSE
Take up a hem, perhaps ALTER
Highland family CLAN
Windmill attack? TILT

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Puzzle from 4 May 2026 - Puzzle #7

Across

Garden nuisance PEST
Where a batsman plants his feet STANCE
Pick up the pace HASTEN
Be present, not just invited ATTEND
Ticker in your chest? HEART

Down

Former Iranian ruler SHAH
London gallery TATE
Penne or fusilli PASTA
Go through a door ENTER
Perfume counter purchase SCENT
Mind the flock TEND

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Puzzle from 3 May 2026 - Puzzle #6

Across

Cram into a suitcase STUFF
Desk fastener STAPLE
Mortarboard dangler TASSEL
Vouch for under oath ATTEST
Comb's prongs TEETH

Down

Scorecard number STAT
Declare formally STATE
Sense of style TASTE
Unexpected cup result? UPSET
Skin and bone filler FLESH
Sensed, or a fabric FELT

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Puzzle from 2 May 2026 - Puzzle #5

Across

Crack of day DAWN
Two-speaker sound system STEREO
Baker Street sleuth HOLMES
Cite in your defence INVOKE
Squint, or a lord PEER

Down

Vessel on the waves SHIP
Dialling sound TONE
Rummage through archives DELVE
Knight's protection ARMOR
Seven-day stretch WEEK
Wine taster's asset NOSE

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Puzzle from 1 May 2026 - Puzzle #4

Across

EastEnders, for one SOAP
A&E doctor's daily reality TRAUMA
Fox pursuer HUNTER
Fixed, as a gaze INTENT
Within arm's reach, say NEAR

Down

Like a wafer THIN
Viking carved symbol RUNE
December's chimney visitor SANTA
Beyond the bullseye ring OUTER
Prayer's last word AMEN
Role in a play PART

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