Does the iPod mini support crossfades? Really? Since launch, or was that an upgrade? I wish my iPod 3G supported them....
But back to the OP, I have a couple of audio files that start in the middle, or do something else strange like that. A couple also that sometimes skip, but only when I start a playlist at them -- like I click play and it seems to be loading the song to play it, but it immediately advances to the next track on the list.
I think these are all the same thing, and I think they're some kind of bug in the software.
But neither effect for me is totally systematic. It is always the same songs that do this, but they do not do it every single time. Same for you or different?