Trivia Week 3 September 20, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints
Here's today's NYT Mini — 20 clues in total, and we've got hints plus answers for every one of them.
Popular Puzzles: December 18 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | August 13 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Across Today November 03 2025 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 20, 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
Today's layout is the usual 5x5: five columns, five rows.
| 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
- Skim every clue once before you write anything — your brain keeps chewing on the ones you don't solve right away.
- Knock out the short answers (3 letters or under) first.
- Lean on the crossing letters once a couple of words are in.
- A question mark in a clue usually means there's a pun coming.
- THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT — these little words show up constantly, keep them in your back pocket.
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 | 63. Chew the fat |
| 2 Across | 11. NASCAR stat that varies widely by venue |
| 3 Across | 83. Narnia or Neverland |
| 4 Across | 131. Move fast, as a cloud |
| 5 Across | 81. Hold up |
| 6 Across | 78. With 75-Across, "So very appreciated!" |
| 7 Across | 94. Chef with "New New Orleans"-style cooking |
| 8 Across | 118. Ill will |
| 9 Across | 64. With 62-Across, Beatles classic with the lyric "Will you still need me / Will you still feed me" |
| 10 Across | 72. Native Nebraskans |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- June 24 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 07 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Crossword Down November 12 2025 All
1 Across: "63. Chew the fat"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'Y', last letter's a 'K'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- You could also think of it as "gab."
Answer:
Click to reveal
YAK2 Across: "11. NASCAR stat that varies widely by venue"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'L', last letter's a 'E'.
- You're looking for 7 letters.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: L_____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
LAPTIME3 Across: "83. Narnia or Neverland"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — a domain in which something is dominant.
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'M'.
- Close enough in meaning: kingdom.
Answer:
Click to reveal
REALM4 Across: "131. Move fast, as a cloud"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "shoot."
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'D'.
- If that helps, the shape is: S__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
SCUD5 Across: "81. Hold up"
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Count on 3 letters here.
- 'pluck' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ROB6 Across: "78. With 75-Across, "So very appreciated!""
Hints:
- It's a 10-letter word.
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'N'.
- If that helps, the shape is: T________N
Answer:
Click to reveal
THANKSATEN7 Across: "94. Chef with "New New Orleans"-style cooking"
Hints:
- You're looking for 7 letters.
- Starts with 'L', ends with 'E'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: L_____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
LAGASSE8 Across: "118. Ill will"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: venom.
- Basically, feeling a need to see others suffer.
- This one runs 6 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MALICE9 Across: "64. With 62-Across, Beatles classic with the lyric "Will you still need me / Will you still feed me""
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'W' and wraps up with 'R'.
- This one runs 10 letters long.
- Blank it out and you get: W________R
Answer:
Click to reveal
WHENIMFOUR10 Across: "72. Native Nebraskans"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: O___S
- 'Otoe' points in the same direction.
- This one runs 5 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OTOESDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 89. Sped or bled ... or led |
| 2 Down | 118. Org. supporting sobriety checkpoints |
| 3 Down | 36. With nary a chance |
| 4 Down | 13. Not merely enough to go around |
| 5 Down | 109. Kind of insurance for bridges |
| 6 Down | 40. Individually |
| 7 Down | 3. Watch via Hulu, say |
| 8 Down | 44. Popular singer of the Hawaiian folk song "Pearly Shells" |
| 9 Down | 42. Elbow-bender |
| 10 Down | 32. A-one |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- Across Clues NYT December 28 2025
- June 24 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 13 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "89. Sped or bled ... or led"
Hints:
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'R', last letter's a 'N'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAN2 Down: "118. Org. supporting sobriety checkpoints"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Starts with 'M', ends with 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MADD3 Down: "36. With nary a chance"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: N___W
- Starts with 'N', ends with 'W'.
- Basically, in no manner; in no way.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NOHOW4 Down: "13. Not merely enough to go around"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'P' and wraps up with 'E'.
- It's a 10-letter word.
- If that helps, the shape is: P________E
Answer:
Click to reveal
PLENTYMORE5 Down: "109. Kind of insurance for bridges"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: D____L
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'L'.
- It's a 6-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DENTAL6 Down: "40. Individually"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "apiece."
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EACH7 Down: "3. Watch via Hulu, say"
Hints:
- This one runs 6 letters long.
- Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'M'.
- Close enough in meaning: current.
Answer:
Click to reveal
STREAM8 Down: "44. Popular singer of the Hawaiian folk song "Pearly Shells""
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'D' and wraps up with 'O'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DONHO9 Down: "42. Elbow-bender"
Hints:
- 'wino' points in the same direction.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Count on 3 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SOT10 Down: "32. A-one"
Hints:
- You're looking for 9 letters.
- If that helps, the shape is: T_______T
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'T'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOPFLIGHTHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
A few things that actually help once you've been doing these a while:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Read it all first: Go through every clue once before writing anything down — it primes your brain even on the ones you skip.
- Grab the short ones: Two and three letter answers (things like "IT" or "ON") are usually the easiest place to start.
- Use the crossings: Once a couple of words are in, the crossing letters do a lot of the work for you on the harder ones.
- Watch for question marks: A "?" at the end of a clue almost always signals a pun rather than a literal answer.
- Keep the regulars in mind: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE — these turn up often enough that it's worth remembering them.
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: | 45 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 3
When does the Trivia Week 3 Mini go live?
Typically drops the evening before, around 10 PM ET.
How long should Trivia Week 3 take me?
Anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes is typical. Don't stress if you're on the slower end at first.
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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