NYT Mini Trivia Week 4 September 23, 2026 - Hints & Answers
20 clues today. If you're stuck on any of them, scroll down — hints first, answers hidden underneath.
Popular Puzzles: All NYT Across Clues September 26 2025 | December 15 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | October 31 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 23, 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
It's a 5 by 5 grid today — five boxes across, five 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 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 | 40. Pretense |
| 2 Across | 65. Catches red-handed |
| 3 Across | 18. Start of a counting rhyme |
| 4 Across | 28. Super Mario character with a mushroom for a head |
| 5 Across | 20. Honorable conduct on the field |
| 6 Across | 46. "Hmm ... I pass" |
| 7 Across | 37. Epic poem originally passed down orally |
| 8 Across | 49. Peak in the Alaska Range |
| 9 Across | 5. Labors like the Seven Dwarfs |
| 10 Across | 17. Car with a logo similar to the Olympic rings |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- December 26 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 16 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "40. Pretense"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — the side that is forward or prominent.
- It's a 5-letter word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: F___T
Answer:
Click to reveal
FRONT2 Across: "65. Catches red-handed"
Hints:
- This one runs 4 letters long.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Close enough in meaning: pick up.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NABS3 Across: "18. Start of a counting rhyme"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: E___E
- Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'E'.
- This one runs 5 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EENIE4 Across: "28. Super Mario character with a mushroom for a head"
Hints:
- 'anuran' points in the same direction.
- If that helps, the shape is: T__D
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOAD5 Across: "20. Honorable conduct on the field"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — fairness in following the rules of the game.
- Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'P'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: S___________P
Answer:
Click to reveal
SPORTSMANSHIP6 Across: "46. "Hmm ... I pass""
Hints:
- Starts with 'U', ends with 'O'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: U__O
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
UHNO7 Across: "37. Epic poem originally passed down orally"
Hints:
- Starts with 'I', ends with 'D'.
- Blank it out and you get: I___D
- You're looking for 5 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ILIAD8 Across: "49. Peak in the Alaska Range"
Hints:
- You're looking for 6 letters.
- Starts with 'D', ends with 'I'.
- If that helps, the shape is: D____I
Answer:
Click to reveal
DENALI9 Across: "5. Labors like the Seven Dwarfs"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: mine.
- It's a 5-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'M' and wraps up with 'S'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MINES10 Across: "17. Car with a logo similar to the Olympic rings"
Hints:
- Count on 4 letters here.
- Starts with 'A', ends with 'I'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AUDIDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 31. Meshed (with) |
| 2 Down | 2. Jeweler's magnifying glass |
| 3 Down | 28. It's kept by a metronome |
| 4 Down | 5. Distinguished conductor |
| 5 Down | 48. Arbor Day mo. |
| 6 Down | 21. Spanish aunt |
| 7 Down | 54. More than wants |
| 8 Down | 53. Host with a mic |
| 9 Down | 13. "Old man" |
| 10 Down | 25. Bonkers |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- October 16 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- December 26 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 16 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "31. Meshed (with)"
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- If that helps, the shape is: J___D
- Basically, be compatible.
Answer:
Click to reveal
JIBED2 Down: "2. Jeweler's magnifying glass"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'L' and wraps up with 'E'.
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LOUPE3 Down: "28. It's kept by a metronome"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: pace.
- Blank it out and you get: T___O
- This one runs 5 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TEMPO4 Down: "5. Distinguished conductor"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "master."
- Kicks off with 'M' and wraps up with 'O'.
- Count on 7 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MAESTRO5 Down: "48. Arbor Day mo."
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: April.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Basically, the month following March and preceding May.
Answer:
Click to reveal
APR6 Down: "21. Spanish aunt"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- Starts with 'T', ends with 'A'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TIA7 Down: "54. More than wants"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'N' and wraps up with 'S'.
- Basically, a condition requiring relief.
- You're looking for 5 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NEEDS8 Down: "53. Host with a mic"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "compere."
- Count on 5 letters here.
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EMCEE9 Down: "13. "Old man""
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: dada.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DAD10 Down: "25. Bonkers"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'L' and wraps up with 'Y'.
- Count on 5 letters here.
- Think of it this way — someone deranged and possibly dangerous.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LOONYHow 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: | 52 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
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.
