Trivia Week 3 Manual for NYT Mini January 18, 2026
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: July 30 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | May 02 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | August 14 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 18, 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 | 85. Quarrels |
| 2 Across | 27. Make a choice |
| 3 Across | 31. Text that says "Congratulations! You've won a MacBook Pro," probably |
| 4 Across | 110. "Roger that!" |
| 5 Across | 19. Total |
| 6 Across | 108. Oodles |
| 7 Across | 86. Itty-bitty |
| 8 Across | 87. Japanese craft that literally translates to "tray planting" |
| 9 Across | 76. Wii remote batteries |
| 10 Across | 33. Prepare for a mechanic's certification exam? |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- April 11 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 02
- January 24 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "85. Quarrels"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S___S
Answer: Click to reveal
SPATS
2 Across: "27. Make a choice"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: choose
Answer: Click to reveal
OPT
3 Across: "31. Text that says "Congratulations! You've won a MacBook Pro," probably"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S__M
Answer: Click to reveal
SCAM
4 Across: "110. "Roger that!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'P'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
YEP
5 Across: "19. Total"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ENTIRE
6 Across: "108. Oodles"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: G__S
Answer: Click to reveal
GOBS
7 Across: "86. Itty-bitty"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: piddle
Answer: Click to reveal
WEE
8 Across: "87. Japanese craft that literally translates to "tray planting""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: B____I
Answer: Click to reveal
BONSAI
9 Across: "76. Wii remote batteries"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: AA
Answer: Click to reveal
AAS
10 Across: "33. Prepare for a mechanic's certification exam?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 15 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: R_____________E
Answer: Click to reveal
REVIEWTHEENGINE
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 121. Leave speechless |
| 2 Down | 56. "In that case ..." |
| 3 Down | 83. Bête ___ |
| 4 Down | 6. Bad thing not to get (especially at the office?) |
| 5 Down | 36. What a bad student might play |
| 6 Down | 47. Part of a bedtime routine |
| 7 Down | 93. Candies that crack with a crunch |
| 8 Down | 80. Padmé Amidala's home planet in "Star Wars" |
| 9 Down | 90. Trees with heart-shaped leaves |
| 10 Down | 101. Prettifies |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
1 Down: "121. Leave speechless"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: fear
Answer: Click to reveal
AWE
2 Down: "56. "In that case ...""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: I__O
Answer: Click to reveal
IFSO
3 Down: "83. Bête ___"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N___E
Answer: Click to reveal
NOIRE
4 Down: "6. Bad thing not to get (especially at the office?)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: M__O
Answer: Click to reveal
MEMO
5 Down: "36. What a bad student might play"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: H___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
HOOKY
6 Down: "47. Part of a bedtime routine"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: S___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
STORY
7 Down: "93. Candies that crack with a crunch"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
TOFFEES
8 Down: "80. Padmé Amidala's home planet in "Star Wars""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: N___O
Answer: Click to reveal
NABOO
9 Down: "90. Trees with heart-shaped leaves"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
REDBUDS
10 Down: "101. Prettifies"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A____S
Answer: Click to reveal
ADORNS
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 45 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 3
When can I play the Trivia Week 3 Mini?
The Trivia Week 3 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 3?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 3 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 3?
No! The Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 3 solver?
Good Trivia Week 3 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 3?
Trivia Week 3 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
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