But if you don't have that much time, the Mini Crossword is an entertaining substitute. The Mini Crossword is much easier than the old-school NYT Crossword, and you probably can complete it in a couple of minutes. But if you're stuck, we've got the answers.

The NYT Mini is a quick and dirty version of the newspaper's larger and long-running crossword. Most days, there are between three and five clues in each direction on a five by five grid, but the puzzles are sometimes larger, especially on Saturdays.

The answer to five down in the Nov. 12 New York Times Mini Crossword is “HASTE.” The complete proverb “Haste makes waste,” refers to the word haste, which means quickly or with urgency, often without proper care or thought. It suggests that when people act in haste, they are more likely to make mistakes, wasting time, effort, or resources.