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Thursday, February 5, 2026

Trivia Week 1 February 05, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints

Quick NYT Mini Crossword February 05, 2026 (Trivia Week 1) - Solutions

Quick Summary: Today's NYT Mini Crossword has 20 clues total. We have all the answers plus helpful hints to make solving easier!

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About Today's Puzzle

NYT Mini Crossword solutions for February 05, 2026
NYT Mini Crossword Grid - Thursday, February 05, 2026
Puzzle Statistics
Detail Information
Date February 05, 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.

5x5 Crossword Grid Pattern
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

  1. Read all the clues first - your brain will start working on them
  2. Fill in the short words first (3 letters or less)
  3. Use the crossing letters to help with harder words
  4. If a clue has a question mark (?), it's probably a joke or play on words
  5. 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.

Across Clues List
Number Clue
1 Across 6. Cause to crack up
2 Across 66. Sent up on social media, say
3 Across 15. Give quite a shock
4 Across 61. Crown
5 Across 38. Fundamentals
6 Across 19. Sheltered from the wind
7 Across 10. Pillow covering
8 Across 17. | $ | $ | $ | $ |
9 Across 31. Chick checker of a sort
10 Across 32. Put one's hands together

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:


1 Across: "6. Cause to crack up"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
  • Word pattern: S__Y

Answer:

Click to reveal SLAY


2 Across: "66. Sent up on social media, say"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'M' and ends with 'D'
  • Word pattern: M___D

Answer:

Click to reveal MEMED


3 Across: "15. Give quite a shock"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: T__E

Answer:

Click to reveal TASE


4 Across: "61. Crown"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: P__E

Answer:

Click to reveal PATE


5 Across: "38. Fundamentals"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: A__S

Answer:

Click to reveal ABCS


6 Across: "19. Sheltered from the wind"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: A__E

Answer:

Click to reveal ALEE


7 Across: "10. Pillow covering"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
  • Word pattern: S__M

Answer:

Click to reveal SHAM


8 Across: "17. | $ | $ | $ | $ |"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 10 letters
  • It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: T________S

Answer:

Click to reveal TOLLBOOTHS


9 Across: "31. Chick checker of a sort"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
  • Word pattern: S___R

Answer:

Click to reveal SEXER


10 Across: "32. Put one's hands together"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'P'
  • Word pattern: C__P

Answer:

Click to reveal CLAP

Down Clues - 10 Total

These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.

Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 44. Commuter's charge
2 Down 9. "Definitely!"
3 Down 52. Willing to take part in
4 Down 6. Archive
5 Down 3. Levy that helped fund the Erie Canal
6 Down 50. Become acquainted via Gmail, say
7 Down 28. Some vintage autos
8 Down 40. Card game played with two decks
9 Down 56. Pine
10 Down 8. Campfire residue

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:


1 Down: "44. Commuter's charge"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: C_____E

Answer:

Click to reveal CARFARE


2 Down: "9. "Definitely!""

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
  • This is a short form or acronym

Answer:

Click to reveal YES


3 Down: "52. Willing to take part in"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'R'
  • Word pattern: U___R

Answer:

Click to reveal UPFOR


4 Down: "6. Archive"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: S___E

Answer:

Click to reveal STORE


5 Down: "3. Levy that helped fund the Erie Canal"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'X'
  • Word pattern: S_____X

Answer:

Click to reveal SALTTAX


6 Down: "50. Become acquainted via Gmail, say"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: E___T

Answer:

Click to reveal EMEET


7 Down: "28. Some vintage autos"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: R__S

Answer:

Click to reveal REOS


8 Down: "40. Card game played with two decks"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'C' and ends with 'A'
  • Word pattern: C_____A

Answer:

Click to reveal CANASTA


9 Down: "56. Pine"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
  • Word pattern: A__E

Answer:

Click to reveal ACHE


10 Down: "8. Campfire residue"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
  • This is a short form or acronym

Answer:

Click to reveal ASH

How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster

Here are the best tips from expert solvers:

Step-by-Step Strategy

  1. Quick Scan: Read all clues once. Your brain starts working on them right away.
  2. Easy First: Fill in the shortest words (2-3 letters). These are usually simple words like "IT" or "ON".
  3. Use Crossings: When letters cross, they help you figure out harder words.
  4. Watch for Wordplay: Clues with question marks (?) are jokes or puns.
  5. 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

Today's Puzzle by the Numbers
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: A bit tricky

Common Questions About Trivia Week 1

When can I play the Trivia Week 1 Mini?

The Trivia Week 1 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.

How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 1?

Most people solve the Trivia Week 1 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 1?

No! The Trivia Week 1 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.

What makes a good Trivia Week 1 solver?

Good Trivia Week 1 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 1?

Trivia Week 1 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.


About This Page: We provide hints and answers for the NYT Mini Crossword to help you learn and improve. This site is not connected to The New York Times.

Last Updated: February 05, 2026 at 05:06 AM

Search terms: NYT Mini Trivia Week, Trivia Week {week_num}, Mini crossword Trivia Week, Trivia Week answers, NYT Trivia Week, February 05 2026 mini crossword

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