NYT Mini Puzzle Trivia Week 1 September 01, 2026 - Solved
Here's today's NYT Mini — 20 clues in total, and we've got hints plus answers for every one of them.
Popular Puzzles: August 21 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | October 24 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | September 10 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 01, 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 1 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
- 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 | 6. Informed |
| 2 Across | 33. Shakespearean father of three |
| 3 Across | 16. Burden to bear |
| 4 Across | 60. Secluded valley |
| 5 Across | 36. Out of patience, with "up" |
| 6 Across | 49. Dabble in |
| 7 Across | 26. https://www.hot-dog.org? |
| 8 Across | 44. Plants that have been around on Earth for 375+ million years |
| 9 Across | 25. Noted magnate on the Titanic |
| 10 Across | 45. O'Hare posting, for short |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- October 12 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 30 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 06 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "6. Informed"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: narrate.
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'T' and wraps up with 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOLD2 Across: "33. Shakespearean father of three"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: L__R
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Starts with 'L', ends with 'R'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LEAR3 Across: "16. Burden to bear"
Hints:
- In plain terms: an onerous or difficult concern.
- You could also think of it as "burden."
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ONUS4 Across: "60. Secluded valley"
Hints:
- Starts with 'D', ends with 'L'.
- In plain terms: a small wooded hollow.
- You could also think of it as "dingle."
Answer:
Click to reveal
DELL5 Across: "36. Out of patience, with "up""
Hints:
- 'flow' points in the same direction.
- It's a 3-letter word.
- Basically, any federal law-enforcement officer.
Answer:
Click to reveal
FED6 Across: "49. Dabble in"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: P____T
- Kicks off with 'P' and wraps up with 'T'.
- You're looking for 6 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
PLAYAT7 Across: "26. https://www.hot-dog.org?"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'K'.
- It's a 11-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SAUSAGELINK8 Across: "44. Plants that have been around on Earth for 375+ million years"
Hints:
- Starts with 'F', ends with 'S'.
- Blank it out and you get: F___S
- You're looking for 5 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
FERNS9 Across: "25. Noted magnate on the Titanic"
Hints:
- This one runs 5 letters long.
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'R'.
- If that helps, the shape is: A___R
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASTOR10 Across: "45. O'Hare posting, for short"
Hints:
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'A'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ETADown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 42. Distinct stretch of years |
| 2 Down | 7. Andy Taylor's boy on old TV |
| 3 Down | 8. Cry on a tennis court |
| 4 Down | 30. Wife of Jacob |
| 5 Down | 43. Think back on |
| 6 Down | 55. Preceding night |
| 7 Down | 34. Fishing pole |
| 8 Down | 22. Locale of Coca-Cola's headquarters: Abbr. |
| 9 Down | 48. "Norma" or "Tosca" |
| 10 Down | 2. Dracula, for one |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- April 24 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 30 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 09 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "42. Distinct stretch of years"
Hints:
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- 'epoch' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERA2 Down: "7. Andy Taylor's boy on old TV"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'O', last letter's a 'E'.
- It's a 4-letter word.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OPIE3 Down: "8. Cry on a tennis court"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'L', last letter's a 'T'.
- 'permit' points in the same direction.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LET4 Down: "30. Wife of Jacob"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: L__H
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- It's a 4-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LEAH5 Down: "43. Think back on"
Hints:
- Count on 6 letters here.
- 'think' points in the same direction.
- Kicks off with 'R' and wraps up with 'L'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RECALL6 Down: "55. Preceding night"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "evening."
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EVE7 Down: "34. Fishing pole"
Hints:
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- 'pole' points in the same direction.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ROD8 Down: "22. Locale of Coca-Cola's headquarters: Abbr."
Hints:
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'L'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATL9 Down: "48. "Norma" or "Tosca""
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: O___A
- Starts with 'O', ends with 'A'.
- You're looking for 5 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OPERA10 Down: "2. Dracula, for one"
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- Basically, the total number counted.
- You could also think of it as "bet."
Answer:
Click to reveal
COUNTHow 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
- 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: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 1
When does the Trivia Week 1 Mini go live?
It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.
How long should Trivia Week 1 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 1 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 1?
It mostly comes down to recognizing common short answers and catching puns fast. The rest is just reps.
Does Trivia Week 1 get harder as the week goes on?
It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.
