Quick NYT Mini Crossword January 30, 2026 (Trivia Week 4) - Solutions
Quick Summary: Today's NYT Mini Crossword has 20 clues total. We have all the answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!
Popular Puzzles: February 18 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | December 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | June 09 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 30, 2026 |
| Grid Size | 5 x 5 squares |
| Total Clues | 20 clues |
| Across Clues | 10 clues |
| Down Clues | 10 clues |
| Average Solve Time | Under 1 minute |
Today's Trivia Week {week_num} NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
This puzzle uses a 5 by 5 grid. That means 5 boxes across and 5 boxes down.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 1 | |||||
| Row 2 | |||||
| Row 3 | |||||
| Row 4 | |||||
| Row 5 |
How to Solve This Puzzle Fast
- Read all the clues first - your brain will start working on them
- Fill in the short words first (3 letters or less)
- Use the crossing letters to help with harder words
- If a clue has a question mark (?), it's probably a joke or play on words
- Common short words: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT
Quick Facts About This Puzzle
- Total squares in grid: 25 (5 times 5)
- Average time to solve: Less than 1 minute
- Best time to play: During a coffee break
- Difficulty level: Made for everyone to enjoy
Across Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from left to right in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 40. Capture a moment, in fiction |
| 2 Across | 39. Mylar alternative |
| 3 Across | 51. Elicit the facepalm emoji, say |
| 4 Across | 22. Mention in passing |
| 5 Across | 5. Piedmont province with a namesake wine |
| 6 Across | 20. Spare part? |
| 7 Across | 52. "Don't panic!" |
| 8 Across | 15. "Those guys?" |
| 9 Across | 1. Puppetry and animation |
| 10 Across | 42. Chaney of classic horror |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- Todays 55 NYT Mini December 11 2025
- NYT Crossword Across October 31 2025
- Todays NYT Crossword Down Clues_18
1 Across: "40. Capture a moment, in fiction"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S______E
Answer: Click to reveal
STOPTIME
2 Across: "39. Mylar alternative"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'X'
- Word pattern: L___X
Answer: Click to reveal
LATEX
3 Across: "51. Elicit the facepalm emoji, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Another word like this: slip
Answer: Click to reveal
ERR
4 Across: "22. Mention in passing"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: T_____N
Answer: Click to reveal
TOUCHON
5 Across: "5. Piedmont province with a namesake wine"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: A__I
Answer: Click to reveal
ASTI
6 Across: "20. Spare part?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: flag
Answer: Click to reveal
PIN
7 Across: "52. "Don't panic!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: R________M
Answer: Click to reveal
REMAINCALM
8 Across: "15. "Those guys?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: T__M
Answer: Click to reveal
THEM
9 Across: "1. Puppetry and animation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A__S
Answer: Click to reveal
ARTS
10 Across: "42. Chaney of classic horror"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'N'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
LON
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 41. It might get put through the wringer |
| 2 Down | 21. Tales told by flashlight |
| 3 Down | 45. Looks below the surface? |
| 4 Down | 49. Certain psychedelic |
| 5 Down | 31. British rowhouses |
| 6 Down | 5. "The Handmaid's Tale" author |
| 7 Down | 10. Feature of a big-budget feature, perhaps |
| 8 Down | 27. Fit |
| 9 Down | 9. Milky Way, e.g. |
| 10 Down | 7. Much merch |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- February 09 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 09 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- Mini Crossword NYT December 02 2025
1 Down: "41. It might get put through the wringer"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: W____P
Answer: Click to reveal
WETMOP
2 Down: "21. Tales told by flashlight"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: G__________S
Answer: Click to reveal
GHOSTSTORIES
3 Down: "45. Looks below the surface?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'X' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: X___S
Answer: Click to reveal
XRAYS
4 Down: "49. Certain psychedelic"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: A__D
Answer: Click to reveal
ACID
5 Down: "31. British rowhouses"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M__S
Answer: Click to reveal
MEWS
6 Down: "5. "The Handmaid's Tale" author"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: A____D
Answer: Click to reveal
ATWOOD
7 Down: "10. Feature of a big-budget feature, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A_________T
Answer: Click to reveal
ALLSTARCAST
8 Down: "27. Fit"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A__E
Answer: Click to reveal
ABLE
9 Down: "9. Milky Way, e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: S__________Y
Answer: Click to reveal
SPIRALGALAXY
10 Down: "7. Much merch"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T__S
Answer: Click to reveal
TEES
How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Here are the best tips from expert solvers:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Quick Scan: Read all clues once. Your brain starts working on them right away.
- Easy First: Fill in the shortest words (2-3 letters). These are usually simple words like "IT" or "ON".
- Use Crossings: When letters cross, they help you figure out harder words.
- Watch for Wordplay: Clues with question marks (?) are jokes or puns.
- Common Words: Remember these appear often: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE.
Letter Tips That Really Help
- The letter E is the most common in English
- Words ending in S are often plurals
- If you see "___" in a clue, the answer fits those blanks exactly
- Abbreviations in clues mean the answer is also abbreviated
Time Goals to Aim For
| Your Time | Skill Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 seconds | Expert | You know the puzzle patterns very well! |
| 30-60 seconds | Advanced | Great job! You solve quickly. |
| 1-2 minutes | Good | You're doing well. Keep practicing! |
| Over 2 minutes | Learning | You'll get faster with practice. |
Puzzle Numbers and Facts
| Total Clues: | 20 clues to solve |
| Grid Size: | 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down |
| Total Squares: | 25 squares to fill |
| Average Time: | Most people solve in 1 minute 3 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 4
When can I play the Trivia Week 4 Mini?
The Trivia Week 4 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 4?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 4 Mini in 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Don't worry if you take longer - speed comes with practice!
Do I need to pay to play Trivia Week 4?
No! The Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 4 solver?
Good Trivia Week 4 solvers know common short words, can spot wordplay quickly, and use crossing letters well. Practice helps a lot!
Are the puzzles harder during Trivia Week 4?
Trivia Week 4 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
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