NYT Mini Answers September 29, 2026 - Trivia Week 4 Special
20 clues today. If you're stuck on any of them, scroll down — hints first, answers hidden underneath.
Popular Puzzles: March 31 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | June 30 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | February 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 29, 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 4 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
- 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
- Squares in the grid: 25
- How long it takes: usually under a minute once you're warmed up
- Best moment for it: any short break
- Overall difficulty: easy-going by design
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 30. Copied |
| 2 Across | 23. Muslim holiday, informally |
| 3 Across | 53. Dad on "Black-ish" |
| 4 Across | 56. Couch |
| 5 Across | 33. "I ___ U" (candy heart message) |
| 6 Across | 35. Another plateful from the buffet, say |
| 7 Across | 20. Rich deposits of ore |
| 8 Across | 42. Work unit |
| 9 Across | 32. Terse |
| 10 Across | 17. Where some monster home runs land |
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 30 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 18 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 05
1 Across: "30. Copied"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'D'.
- Blank it out and you get: A__D
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
APED2 Across: "23. Muslim holiday, informally"
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'D'.
- It's a 3-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EID3 Across: "53. Dad on "Black-ish""
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DRE4 Across: "56. Couch"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: D___N
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'N'.
- You could also think of it as "diwan."
Answer:
Click to reveal
DIVAN5 Across: "33. "I ___ U" (candy heart message)"
Hints:
- Starts with 'L', ends with 'V'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- It's a 3-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LUV6 Across: "35. Another plateful from the buffet, say"
Hints:
- Count on 13 letters here.
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'G'.
- Blank it out and you get: S___________G
Answer:
Click to reveal
SECONDHELPING7 Across: "20. Rich deposits of ore"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "load."
- Kicks off with 'L' and wraps up with 'S'.
- It's a 5-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LODES8 Across: "42. Work unit"
Hints:
- Count on 3 letters here.
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'G'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERG9 Across: "32. Terse"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- In plain terms: marked by rude or peremptory shortness.
- Starts with 'C', ends with 'T'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
CURT10 Across: "17. Where some monster home runs land"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: U_______K
- Kicks off with 'U' and wraps up with 'K'.
- Count on 9 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
UPPERDECKDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 6. Regret |
| 2 Down | 4. Numbered in a tournament bracket |
| 3 Down | 60. Sort |
| 4 Down | 34. Scanned lines, for short |
| 5 Down | 49. Move like Shakira in her "Hips Don't Lie" video |
| 6 Down | 37. Crossed (out) |
| 7 Down | 46. Perhaps not at all |
| 8 Down | 51. Courier and Century Gothic, for two |
| 9 Down | 27. Blue race in "Avatar" |
| 10 Down | 12. Like not-work-from-home days |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 25
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 05
- May 18 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "6. Regret"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "repent."
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RUE2 Down: "4. Numbered in a tournament bracket"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'D'.
- It's a 6-letter word.
- Basically, go to seed; shed seeds.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SEEDED3 Down: "60. Sort"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: like.
- In plain terms: a kind of person.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ILK4 Down: "34. Scanned lines, for short"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Kicks off with 'U' and wraps up with 'C'.
- Count on 3 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
UPC5 Down: "49. Move like Shakira in her "Hips Don't Lie" video"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: G____E
- Count on 6 letters here.
- First letter's a 'G', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GYRATE6 Down: "37. Crossed (out)"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: E__D
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EXED7 Down: "46. Perhaps not at all"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: I____R
- It's a 6-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'I' and wraps up with 'R'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
IFEVER8 Down: "51. Courier and Century Gothic, for two"
Hints:
- Starts with 'F', ends with 'S'.
- You could also think of it as "face."
- This one runs 5 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
FONTS9 Down: "27. Blue race in "Avatar""
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'N' and wraps up with 'I'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NAVI10 Down: "12. Like not-work-from-home days"
Hints:
- This one runs 6 letters long.
- Starts with 'O', ends with 'E'.
- If that helps, the shape is: O____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ONSITEHow 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: | 58 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 4
When does the Trivia Week 4 Mini go live?
It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.
How long should Trivia Week 4 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 4 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 4?
It mostly comes down to recognizing common short answers and catching puns fast. The rest is just reps.
Does Trivia Week 4 get harder as the week goes on?
Difficulty shifts through the week; expect Monday to be gentle and Saturday to bite a bit more.
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