NYT Mini Crossword Sept. 16: Answers and solving tips for today's puzzle

Each morning, a small grid of five-by-five squares arrives on millions of screens, offering a brief but genuine encounter with language, geography, and logic. The New York Times Mini Crossword for September 16, 2025 asked solvers to find Moscow in Idaho, Belgrade and Stockholm in Montana, and a hitchhiker's shorthand for catching a ride. In an age of fragmented attention, this modest puzzle endures because it offers something rare: a challenge small enough to finish, yet meaningful enough to remember.