Trivia Week 3 February 17, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints
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: August 16 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | March 05 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | May 27 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | February 17, 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 | 50. Break up, as a group |
| 2 Across | 20. "Cool!" |
| 3 Across | 39. Music genre for the words hidden in this puzzle's circled letters ... or a punny description for them? |
| 4 Across | 66. Starts daydreaming, with "out" |
| 5 Across | 23. Big name in pet food |
| 6 Across | 69. Call off the relationship |
| 7 Across | 26. "I suppose that's right" |
| 8 Across | 70. Furtive |
| 9 Across | 21. Hit maker? |
| 10 Across | 32. Film performers' union, for short |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- July 01 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 27 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 14 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "50. Break up, as a group"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: D_____D
Answer: Click to reveal
DISBAND
2 Across: "20. "Cool!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: N___O
Answer: Click to reveal
NEATO
3 Across: "39. Music genre for the words hidden in this puzzle's circled letters ... or a punny description for them?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
BAROQUE
4 Across: "66. Starts daydreaming, with "out""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'Z' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: Z___S
Answer: Click to reveal
ZONES
5 Across: "23. Big name in pet food"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I__S
Answer: Click to reveal
IAMS
6 Across: "69. Call off the relationship"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: E___T
Answer: Click to reveal
ENDIT
7 Across: "26. "I suppose that's right""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: G_____O
Answer: Click to reveal
GUESSSO
8 Across: "70. Furtive"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Another word like this: tricky
Answer: Click to reveal
SLY
9 Across: "21. Hit maker?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: F__T
Answer: Click to reveal
FIST
10 Across: "32. Film performers' union, for short"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'G'
- Another word like this: droop
Answer: Click to reveal
SAG
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 36. "Don't be so weird!" |
| 2 Down | 18. Boot out of Europe? |
| 3 Down | 48. Shaggy head of hair |
| 4 Down | 54. Front part of a stage |
| 5 Down | 5. Wall Street debut, for short |
| 6 Down | 44. Aural ailment |
| 7 Down | 11. Highlights of a 15-Across |
| 8 Down | 39. Sandwiches often on toasted bread |
| 9 Down | 28. "Uh-uh" |
| 10 Down | 4. "Oh, that stupid little punk ..." |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- August 16 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 05 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 29 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "36. "Don't be so weird!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: A_______L
Answer: Click to reveal
ACTNORMAL
2 Down: "18. Boot out of Europe?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: I___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
ITALY
3 Down: "48. Shaggy head of hair"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'P'
- Another word like this: swab
Answer: Click to reveal
MOP
4 Down: "54. Front part of a stage"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A___N
Answer: Click to reveal
APRON
5 Down: "5. Wall Street debut, for short"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
IPO
6 Down: "44. Aural ailment"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
EARACHE
7 Down: "11. Highlights of a 15-Across"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A___S
Answer: Click to reveal
ARIAS
8 Down: "39. Sandwiches often on toasted bread"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B__S
Answer: Click to reveal
BLTS
9 Down: "28. "Uh-uh""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N__E
Answer: Click to reveal
NOPE
10 Down: "4. "Oh, that stupid little punk ...""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S____A
Answer: Click to reveal
SONOFA
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: | Medium |
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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