Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini September 17, 2026 Solutions & Guide
20 clues today. If you're stuck on any of them, scroll down — hints first, answers hidden underneath.
Popular Puzzles: October 24 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | July 29 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | Sunday NYT Across Solutions September |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 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 3 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
Standard Mini size again: 5 across, 5 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 One Fast
- Read through all the clues before filling in a single square.
- Start with anything three letters or shorter.
- Crossing letters are your best friend for the trickier answers.
- Question mark clues (?) almost always mean wordplay, not a literal answer.
- Watch for the usual suspects: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT.
Quick Facts
- Total squares: 25 (5 × 5)
- Typical solve time: well under a minute for most regulars
- Good time to play: on a coffee break
- Difficulty: built to be approachable
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 13. Plant that thrives in a terra-cotta pot |
| 2 Across | 22. Dub over? |
| 3 Across | 68. Losing streak |
| 4 Across | 32. Ferry or wherry |
| 5 Across | 14. Stick it to your rival! |
| 6 Across | 20. Short sidekick? |
| 7 Across | 28. Promising places? |
| 8 Across | 42. Inspired stuff |
| 9 Across | 16. Twill-woven worsted wool garment |
| 10 Across | 63. "'___' is the thing with feathers" (Emily Dickinson poem) |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- Todays NYT Crossword Across Clues_31
- December 14 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 04 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "13. Plant that thrives in a terra-cotta pot"
Hints:
- It's a 4-letter word.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: A__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALOE2 Across: "22. Dub over?"
Hints:
- Basically, assign a new name to.
- Kicks off with 'R' and wraps up with 'E'.
- It's a 6-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RENAME3 Across: "68. Losing streak"
Hints:
- It's a 4-letter word.
- You could also think of it as "shoe."
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SKID4 Across: "32. Ferry or wherry"
Hints:
- Basically, a small vessel for travel on water.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: B__T
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOAT5 Across: "14. Stick it to your rival!"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: E__E
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- It's a 4-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EPEE6 Across: "20. Short sidekick?"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Blank it out and you get: A__T
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASST7 Across: "28. Promising places?"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'S'.
- You could also think of it as "altar."
- You're looking for 6 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALTARS8 Across: "42. Inspired stuff"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'R'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AIR9 Across: "16. Twill-woven worsted wool garment"
Hints:
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'K' and wraps up with 'T'.
- If that helps, the shape is: K__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
KILT10 Across: "63. "'___' is the thing with feathers" (Emily Dickinson poem)"
Hints:
- Count on 4 letters here.
- Think of it this way — a specific instance of feeling hopeful.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
HOPEDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 49. Get to |
| 2 Down | 53. Cannellini, e.g. |
| 3 Down | 29. One way to run |
| 4 Down | 39. Canon competitor |
| 5 Down | 64. Andy Warhol, e.g. |
| 6 Down | 33. "Handling this as we speak" |
| 7 Down | 41. Makeover |
| 8 Down | 34. Hairstyle that you've picked out? |
| 9 Down | 25. Side mirrors on a car, anthropomorphically |
| 10 Down | 31. On board, say |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- May 20 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 04 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- Quick NYT Mini Crossword October 10
1 Down: "49. Get to"
Hints:
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- In plain terms: irritate or vex.
- You could also think of it as "gall."
Answer:
Click to reveal
IRK2 Down: "53. Cannellini, e.g."
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'W' and wraps up with 'N'.
- Blank it out and you get: W_______N
- Count on 9 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
WHITEBEAN3 Down: "29. One way to run"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'K'.
- It's a 4-letter word.
- In plain terms: frenzied as if possessed by a demon.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AMOK4 Down: "39. Canon competitor"
Hints:
- This one runs 5 letters long.
- Kicks off with 'N' and wraps up with 'N'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: N___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
NIKON5 Down: "64. Andy Warhol, e.g."
Hints:
- You're looking for 9 letters.
- Kicks off with 'P' and wraps up with 'T'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
POPARTIST6 Down: "33. "Handling this as we speak""
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: O__T
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ONIT7 Down: "41. Makeover"
Hints:
- In plain terms: make new.
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'O'.
- Close enough in meaning: remodel.
Answer:
Click to reveal
REDO8 Down: "34. Hairstyle that you've picked out?"
Hints:
- Starts with 'A', ends with 'O'.
- This one runs 4 letters long.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AFRO9 Down: "25. Side mirrors on a car, anthropomorphically"
Hints:
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'S'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EARS10 Down: "31. On board, say"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- 'trade' points in the same direction.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: S__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
SOLDHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Some habits that speed things up over time:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Scan before you solve: One quick read-through of all the clues before you commit to anything usually pays off.
- Short words first: The 2-3 letter answers are almost always the low-hanging fruit.
- Let crossings guide you: Harder answers get much easier once a couple of crossing letters are locked in.
- Puns hide behind question marks: If a clue ends in "?", expect wordplay, not a straight answer.
- A few words repeat a lot: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE show up more than you'd expect — keep them in mind.
Letter Tips That Really Help
- E is the most common letter in English, so it's worth guessing early.
- Words ending in S are usually plurals.
- Blanks ("___") in a clue mean the answer fits exactly into those spaces.
- An abbreviation in the clue is a signal the answer's abbreviated too.
Time Goals to Aim For
| Your Time | Skill Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 seconds | Expert | You've clearly got the puzzle's patterns down. |
| 30-60 seconds | Advanced | Solid pace — you're solving quickly. |
| 1-2 minutes | Good | Right where most regular solvers land. |
| Over 2 minutes | Learning | Totally fine — speed comes with reps. |
Puzzle Numbers and Facts
| Total Clues: | 20 |
| Grid Size: | 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down |
| Total Squares: | 25 |
| Average Time: | 58 seconds |
| Difficulty: | A bit tricky |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 3
When does the Trivia Week 3 Mini go live?
It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.
How long should Trivia Week 3 take me?
Most people land somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Slower than that is completely normal too — it gets faster with practice.
Is Trivia Week 3 free to play?
It's free to play, unlike the main NYT Crossword which sits behind a paywall.
What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 3?
Knowing the common short words, spotting wordplay quickly, and reading crossing letters well — that combination gets you most of the way there.
Does Trivia Week 3 get harder as the week goes on?
It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.
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