Bird Mini: the daily bird crossword
What is a word square?
A word square is a grid with no black squares. Each of the four rows reads as a word going across, and each of the four columns reads as a word going down. Every cell belongs to two words, so each letter you place helps with two clues.
An example from the game:
- Across: SAND, AREA, NEAT, DARE
- Down: SAND, AREA, NEAR, DATE
Write the across words under each other and the down words appear in the columns.
How to play
- Press Play today's Mini. The first across clue shows above the grid.
- Tap a cell to select it. Its row or column lights up and the clue changes to match.
- Tap the same cell again to switch between across and down. There is also a button for this under the keyboard.
- Type on the on-screen keyboard. The cursor moves to the next cell for you. The backspace key clears a letter and steps back.
- The puzzle completes itself the moment every cell is correct. There is no submit button.
Stuck for good? Give up reveals the grid, but scores nothing for the day.
Scoring
A solved grid earns 10 bonus points, however long it takes. Bonus points count towards the leaderboard once you are signed in. The Share button copies a one-line result to your clipboard.
How the clues work
Each puzzle has four across clues and four down clues. Some answers are bird words and some are everyday words clued from a birder's point of view. A few from the bank:
- "Beach grit a sanderling sprints across": SAND
- "Mute or Whooper, on the lake": SWAN
- "Where the starling perches": WIRE
- "Tidy, like a well-kept hide": NEAT
- "What BirdTrack collects": DATA
Tips for solving Bird Mini
- Start with the bird clue. Four-letter bird words in the bank include SWAN, TERN, LARK, HAWK, BEAK, WING, NEST, PREY and REED. One of these often gives you a whole row.
- Know the family names. "Arctic, Common, or Little" is TERN: all three breed in Britain. "Sparrow- or Gos-" is HAWK, from Sparrowhawk and Goshawk.
- Know the habits. A Skylark sings high above farmland, a Bittern lives among reeds and a Robin sings all year. Clues lean on facts like these.
- Know the birder's vocabulary. A LIST can be a year list, a life list or a county list. A BAND is the American word for the numbered ring on a bird's leg.
- Switch direction when stuck. If an across clue will not come, solve the down clues that cross it. Two or three crossing letters usually settle it.
- Read the first row carefully. Its four letters start all four down words.
When does the puzzle reset?
A new puzzle appears at midnight. For players in Britain that is midnight UK time: the game goes by the date on your device. Everyone gets the same puzzle on the same date. There is no archive, so a missed day is gone.
Bird Mini FAQ
Is Bird Mini free?
Yes. It costs nothing and there is no app to install. It plays in your browser.
Do I need an account?
No. Guests can play every day, and today's progress is kept on your device. Sign in with Google if you want your bonus points banked on the leaderboard.
How is Bird Mini different from a normal mini crossword?
The grid is 4×4 with no black squares, so every letter is checked by two clues. Every clue has a birding angle, even when the answer is an everyday word.
Is there a time limit or a guess limit?
No. Take as long as you like and change letters as often as you want. The only way to lose is to press Give up.
How many puzzles are there?
The game has a bank of 100 puzzles. Each day's puzzle is picked from the bank by the date.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It has its own on-screen keyboard and the grid fits a small phone screen. There is no app to download.