Trivia Week 3 February 18, 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: NYT Mini Today September 29 2025 | July 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | September 09 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | February 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 | 49. Write "their" for "there," say |
| 2 Across | 68. Nincompoops |
| 3 Across | 17. Ancient Greek marketplace |
| 4 Across | 51. Offensively odorous |
| 5 Across | 45. Trident-shaped letter |
| 6 Across | 21. 🕘⏳⏰ |
| 7 Across | 23. Gullible one |
| 8 Across | 44. Some wand wielders |
| 9 Across | 70. Reduced to crumbs, say |
| 10 Across | 24. Pepper that's two steps above poblano on the Scoville scale |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- July 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 09 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Clues Answers November 21
1 Across: "49. Write "their" for "there," say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Another word like this: drift
Answer: Click to reveal
ERR
2 Across: "68. Nincompoops"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A___S
Answer: Click to reveal
ASSES
3 Across: "17. Ancient Greek marketplace"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
Answer: Click to reveal
AGORA
4 Across: "51. Offensively odorous"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
NOISOME
5 Across: "45. Trident-shaped letter"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
PSI
6 Across: "21. 🕘⏳⏰"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 15 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____________S
Answer: Click to reveal
SIGNSOFTHETIMES
7 Across: "23. Gullible one"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'P'
- Another word like this: exhaust
Answer: Click to reveal
SAP
8 Across: "44. Some wand wielders"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_______S
Answer: Click to reveal
SORCERERS
9 Across: "70. Reduced to crumbs, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: E___N
Answer: Click to reveal
EATEN
10 Across: "24. Pepper that's two steps above poblano on the Scoville scale"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: S_____O
Answer: Click to reveal
SERRANO
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 10. Elbows and bow ties |
| 2 Down | 59. Wraps (up) |
| 3 Down | 33. Like some buns and bedrooms |
| 4 Down | 36. Includes, in a way |
| 5 Down | 48. Cast |
| 6 Down | 4. Remains |
| 7 Down | 56. Singer with the 2009 #1 hit "Tik Tok" |
| 8 Down | 5. Leader of the Sharks in "West Side Story" |
| 9 Down | 19. Observation |
| 10 Down | 22. It might be a stretch for historians |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 26 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 08 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "10. Elbows and bow ties"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P____S
Answer: Click to reveal
PASTAS
2 Down: "59. Wraps (up)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S__S
Answer: Click to reveal
SEWS
3 Down: "33. Like some buns and bedrooms"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: M___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
MESSY
4 Down: "36. Includes, in a way"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: mil
Answer: Click to reveal
CCS
5 Down: "48. Cast"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: T____D
Answer: Click to reveal
TOSSED
6 Down: "4. Remains"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
Answer: Click to reveal
DREGS
7 Down: "56. Singer with the 2009 #1 hit "Tik Tok""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: K___A
Answer: Click to reveal
KESHA
8 Down: "5. Leader of the Sharks in "West Side Story""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: B______O
Answer: Click to reveal
BERNARDO
9 Down: "19. Observation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: E____L
Answer: Click to reveal
ESPIAL
10 Down: "22. It might be a stretch for historians"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Another word like this: epoch
Answer: Click to reveal
ERA
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 52 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
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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