NYT Mini Puzzle Trivia Week 3 February 20, 2026 - Solved
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 Across Clues Answers September 28 | September 24 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | August 10 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | February 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 {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 | 47. Descendants of the Picts |
| 2 Across | 40. Like many working horses, but not many working dogs |
| 3 Across | 22. Org. whose work takes many forms? |
| 4 Across | 48. Someone you might like to get to know better |
| 5 Across | 26. Nahuatl speaker |
| 6 Across | 53. Has to keep going |
| 7 Across | 28. Muse aloud |
| 8 Across | 30. "I smell trouble ...!" |
| 9 Across | 17. Baking sheets, cake pans, muffin tins, etc. |
| 10 Across | 24. Smear |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- October 23 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers September_23
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 31
1 Across: "47. Descendants of the Picts"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S___S
Answer: Click to reveal
SCOTS
2 Across: "40. Like many working horses, but not many working dogs"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S___D
Answer: Click to reveal
SHOED
3 Across: "22. Org. whose work takes many forms?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
IRS
4 Across: "48. Someone you might like to get to know better"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 14 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: F____________L
Answer: Click to reveal
FRIENDMATERIAL
5 Across: "26. Nahuatl speaker"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: A___C
Answer: Click to reveal
AZTEC
6 Across: "53. Has to keep going"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: C______P
Answer: Click to reveal
CANTSTOP
7 Across: "28. Muse aloud"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O___E
Answer: Click to reveal
OPINE
8 Across: "30. "I smell trouble ...!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: O__O
Answer: Click to reveal
OHNO
9 Across: "17. Baking sheets, cake pans, muffin tins, etc."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O______E
Answer: Click to reveal
OVENWARE
10 Across: "24. Smear"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: M____N
Answer: Click to reveal
MALIGN
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 9. Relaxed |
| 2 Down | 29. Trade for cash |
| 3 Down | 49. Crispy flaps of crust on sourdough loaves |
| 4 Down | 10. "Let it stand" |
| 5 Down | 43. Hairstyles often associated with the '60s and '70s |
| 6 Down | 41. Online nickname |
| 7 Down | 11. One of the Obamas |
| 8 Down | 45. x |
| 9 Down | 5. Cholesterol-lowering drug |
| 10 Down | 36. Brings in |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- August 15 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- Down Clues NYT October 17 2025 Todays
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 16
1 Down: "9. Relaxed"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ATEASE
2 Down: "29. Trade for cash"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: R____M
Answer: Click to reveal
REDEEM
3 Down: "49. Crispy flaps of crust on sourdough loaves"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer: Click to reveal
EARS
4 Down: "10. "Let it stand""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
Answer: Click to reveal
STET
5 Down: "43. Hairstyles often associated with the '60s and '70s"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A___S
Answer: Click to reveal
AFROS
6 Down: "41. Online nickname"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: H____E
Answer: Click to reveal
HANDLE
7 Down: "11. One of the Obamas"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S___A
Answer: Click to reveal
SASHA
8 Down: "45. x"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T___S
Answer: Click to reveal
TIMES
9 Down: "5. Cholesterol-lowering drug"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S____N
Answer: Click to reveal
STATIN
10 Down: "36. Brings in"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
IMPORTS
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 58 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.
