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Thursday, April 2, 2026

NYT Mini Trivia Week 1 April 02, 2026 - Hints & Answers

Today's Trivia Week 1 NYT Mini Crossword April 02, 2026 Answers

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: April 15 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | February 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | April 14 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |

About Today's Puzzle

NYT Mini Crossword solutions for April 02, 2026
NYT Mini Crossword Grid - Thursday, April 02, 2026
Puzzle Statistics
Detail Information
Date April 02, 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 46. One side in a "Holy War" rivalry in college football
2 Across 6. Dish often topped with lime and cilantro
3 Across 28. Bungee jumping requirement
4 Across 35. One cause of deterioration
5 Across 67. Ernie who has won the British Open twice
6 Across 60. Facial wrinkles ... or what's present in 16-, 22-, 36- and 50-Across?
7 Across 30. Egg carton?
8 Across 14. Team behind the cameras
9 Across 48. Player on the bench?
10 Across 15. Actor Epps of "House"

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: "46. One side in a "Holy War" rivalry in college football"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal UTES


2 Across: "6. Dish often topped with lime and cilantro"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal PHO


3 Across: "28. Bungee jumping requirement"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal CORD


4 Across: "35. One cause of deterioration"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'E'
  • Another word like this: utilize

Answer:

Click to reveal USE


5 Across: "67. Ernie who has won the British Open twice"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
  • Another word like this: el

Answer:

Click to reveal ELS


6 Across: "60. Facial wrinkles ... or what's present in 16-, 22-, 36- and 50-Across?"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 10 letters
  • It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
  • Word pattern: L________S

Answer:

Click to reveal LAUGHLINES


7 Across: "30. Egg carton?"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'C'
  • Another word like this: sack

Answer:

Click to reveal SAC


8 Across: "14. Team behind the cameras"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal CREW


9 Across: "48. Player on the bench?"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 7 letters
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
  • Word pattern: P_____T

Answer:

Click to reveal PIANIST


10 Across: "15. Actor Epps of "House""

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal OMAR

Down Clues - 10 Total

These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.

Down Clues List
Number Clue
1 Down 48. Bess's beau on Broadway
2 Down 2. Until
3 Down 50. Pitched
4 Down 53. Followers of articles
5 Down 39. Create a PDF of, maybe
6 Down 27. The first letter in this gas brand's logo resembles a backward 3
7 Down 5. Shop item with teeth
8 Down 9. Some kicks on Route 66, maybe
9 Down 52. Instrument once known as a "toy trumpet"
10 Down 26. Extend a tour of duty

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

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


1 Down: "48. Bess's beau on Broadway"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'P' and ends with 'Y'
  • Word pattern: P___Y

Answer:

Click to reveal PORGY


2 Down: "2. Until"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 4 letters
  • It starts with 'U' and ends with 'O'
  • Word pattern: U__O

Answer:

Click to reveal UPTO


3 Down: "50. Pitched"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal THREW


4 Down: "53. Followers of articles"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal NOUNS


5 Down: "39. Create a PDF of, maybe"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal SCAN


6 Down: "27. The first letter in this gas brand's logo resembles a backward 3"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal ESSO


7 Down: "5. Shop item with teeth"

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 3 letters
  • It starts with 'S' and ends with 'W'
  • Another word like this: proverb

Answer:

Click to reveal SAW


8 Down: "9. Some kicks on Route 66, maybe"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal JOYRIDE


9 Down: "52. Instrument once known as a "toy trumpet""

Helpful hints:

  • This word has 5 letters
  • It starts with 'K' and ends with 'O'
  • Word pattern: K___O

Answer:

Click to reveal KAZOO


10 Down: "26. Extend a tour of duty"

Helpful hints:

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

Answer:

Click to reveal REUP

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 1 minute 3 seconds
Difficulty: Medium

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: April 02, 2026 at 05:17 AM

Search terms: NYT Mini Trivia Week, Trivia Week {week_num}, Mini crossword Trivia Week, Trivia Week answers, NYT Trivia Week, April 02 2026 mini crossword

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