Today's Trivia Week 2 NYT Mini Crossword September 08, 2026 Answers
Today's Mini has 20 clues to get through. Hints and answers for all of them are below.
Popular Puzzles: Wednesdays NYT Mini Oct 22 All 10 | January 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | January 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 08, 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 2 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 | 62. ___ dish (lab item) |
| 2 Across | 51. Sound from a pound |
| 3 Across | 20. Smooths (over) |
| 4 Across | 67. Colleges, to Aussies |
| 5 Across | 5. Long (for) |
| 6 Across | 14. Trims, say |
| 7 Across | 26. "This American Life" host Glass |
| 8 Across | 43. Chopped down |
| 9 Across | 56. Pompadour or pigtails |
| 10 Across | 37. CVS rival ... or a phonetic hint to the answers on this puzzle's perimeter |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- All NYT Across Clues September 26 2025
- July 16 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Wednesday NYT Mini Crossword Answers
1 Across: "62. ___ dish (lab item)"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'P' and wraps up with 'I'.
- It's a 5-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
PETRI2 Across: "51. Sound from a pound"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'F'.
- Count on 3 letters here.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARF3 Across: "20. Smooths (over)"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: polish.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: G_____S
- It's a 7-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GLOSSES4 Across: "67. Colleges, to Aussies"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'U', last letter's a 'S'.
- Count on 4 letters here.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
UNIS5 Across: "5. Long (for)"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- 'yen' points in the same direction.
- You're looking for 4 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
PINE6 Across: "14. Trims, say"
Hints:
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'S'.
- Close enough in meaning: delete.
- This one runs 5 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EDITS7 Across: "26. "This American Life" host Glass"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'I', last letter's a 'A'.
- Close enough in meaning: Provos.
Answer:
Click to reveal
IRA8 Across: "43. Chopped down"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: H__N
- Basically, make or shape as with an axe.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
HEWN9 Across: "56. Pompadour or pigtails"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'H' and wraps up with 'O'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: H____O
- 'coif' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
HAIRDO10 Across: "37. CVS rival ... or a phonetic hint to the answers on this puzzle's perimeter"
Hints:
- It's a 9-letter word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: W_______S
- Starts with 'W', ends with 'S'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
WALGREENSDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 7. Diarist Anaïs |
| 2 Down | 25. "This one's on me!" |
| 3 Down | 48. Some speech impediments |
| 4 Down | 29. Cry of frustration |
| 5 Down | 8. ___ Sketch (classic drawing toy) |
| 6 Down | 33. Did the backstroke, say |
| 7 Down | 2. Totally ban |
| 8 Down | 40. Froth seen at the beach |
| 9 Down | 63. The first "T" in TNT |
| 10 Down | 11. Army leader |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- Wednesdays NYT Mini Oct 22 All 10
- November 01 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "7. Diarist Anaïs"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'N', last letter's a 'N'.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NIN2 Down: "25. "This one's on me!""
Hints:
- Starts with 'M', ends with 'T'.
- Count on 7 letters here.
- Blank it out and you get: M_____T
Answer:
Click to reveal
MYTREAT3 Down: "48. Some speech impediments"
Hints:
- Starts with 'L', ends with 'S'.
- If that helps, the shape is: L___S
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LISPS4 Down: "29. Cry of frustration"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: A__H
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'H'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARGH5 Down: "8. ___ Sketch (classic drawing toy)"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: E___A
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'A'.
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ETCHA6 Down: "33. Did the backstroke, say"
Hints:
- Basically, travel through water.
- You could also think of it as "drown."
- If that helps, the shape is: S__M
Answer:
Click to reveal
SWAM7 Down: "2. Totally ban"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: A_____H
- Count on 7 letters here.
- Starts with 'A', ends with 'H'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ABOLISH8 Down: "40. Froth seen at the beach"
Hints:
- Count on 7 letters here.
- Blank it out and you get: S_____M
- First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'M'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SEAFOAM9 Down: "63. The first "T" in TNT"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Starts with 'T', ends with 'I'.
- Count on 3 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TRI10 Down: "11. Army leader"
Hints:
- Starts with 'G', ends with 'L'.
- You're looking for 7 letters.
- Basically, a general officer of the highest rank.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GENERALHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Some habits that speed things up over time:
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: | Medium |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 2
When does the Trivia Week 2 Mini go live?
It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.
How long should Trivia Week 2 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 2 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 2?
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 2 get harder as the week goes on?
Difficulty shifts through the week; expect Monday to be gentle and Saturday to bite a bit more.
