NYT Mini Crossword Trivia Week 3 September 18, 2026 - Daily Answers
Today's Mini has 20 clues to get through. Hints and answers for all of them are below.
Popular Puzzles: July 23 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | February 10 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 20 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 18, 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 3 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 | 44. Cookie contents |
| 2 Across | 24. Yell sharply |
| 3 Across | 42. Common plant for a "plant mom" |
| 4 Across | 17. Breaks off |
| 5 Across | 14. Figuratively speaking |
| 6 Across | 30. Defensive effort in the red zone |
| 7 Across | 1. Server's warning at a restaurant |
| 8 Across | 49. Some features of backyard landscaping |
| 9 Across | 36. Org. concerned with traffic |
| 10 Across | 23. Contents of some pockets |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- January 04 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- Mini Crossword NYT October 09 2025
- December 29 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "44. Cookie contents"
Hints:
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Starts with 'D', ends with 'A'.
- 'datum' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DATA2 Across: "24. Yell sharply"
Hints:
- This one runs 4 letters long.
- Starts with 'B', ends with 'K'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BARK3 Across: "42. Common plant for a "plant mom""
Hints:
- This one runs 4 letters long.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Kicks off with 'F' and wraps up with 'N'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
FERN4 Across: "17. Breaks off"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — either extremity of something that has length.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'S'.
- You're looking for 4 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ENDS5 Across: "14. Figuratively speaking"
Hints:
- Count on 7 letters here.
- First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'Y'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: S_____Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
SOTOSAY6 Across: "30. Defensive effort in the red zone"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'G', last letter's a 'D'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: G___________D
- Count on 13 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GOALLINESTAND7 Across: "1. Server's warning at a restaurant"
Hints:
- Starts with 'I', ends with 'T'.
- You're looking for 6 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ITSHOT8 Across: "49. Some features of backyard landscaping"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: G_____S
- Starts with 'G', ends with 'S'.
- Basically, a small roofed building affording shade and rest.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GAZEBOS9 Across: "36. Org. concerned with traffic"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'F', last letter's a 'A'.
- It's a 3-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
FAA10 Across: "23. Contents of some pockets"
Hints:
- It's a 3-letter word.
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'R'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AIRDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 10. Seize |
| 2 Down | 7. "&" follower, in some business names |
| 3 Down | 5. ___ of Solomon, literary collection written in the first or second century |
| 4 Down | 27. Clicked with a partner? |
| 5 Down | 16. Simple cocktail named for two brands |
| 6 Down | 3. Potential outcomes |
| 7 Down | 48. Lead-in to "lab" in the name of an S&P 500 company |
| 8 Down | 4. Mass |
| 9 Down | 28. Snicker |
| 10 Down | 21. Bit of nonsense writing that typically gets a laugh |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- December 29 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 07 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 04 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "10. Seize"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'U', last letter's a 'P'.
- This one runs 5 letters long.
- 'seize' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
USURP2 Down: "7. "&" follower, in some business names"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — a male human offspring.
- Close enough in meaning: Logos.
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'S'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SONS3 Down: "5. ___ of Solomon, literary collection written in the first or second century"
Hints:
- 'ode' points in the same direction.
- Count on 4 letters here.
- If that helps, the shape is: O__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ODES4 Down: "27. Clicked with a partner?"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "tap."
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'D'.
- It's a 9-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TAPDANCED5 Down: "16. Simple cocktail named for two brands"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: J_________E
- It's a 11-letter word.
- First letter's a 'J', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
JACKANDCOKE6 Down: "3. Potential outcomes"
Hints:
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'S'.
- Basically, an outline or synopsis of a play (or.
- You're looking for 9 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SCENARIOS7 Down: "48. Lead-in to "lab" in the name of an S&P 500 company"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'O'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- It's a 3-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ECO8 Down: "4. Mass"
Hints:
- Basically, a vast multitude.
- Count on 5 letters here.
- You could also think of it as "drove."
Answer:
Click to reveal
HORDE9 Down: "28. Snicker"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: T____E
- It's a 6-letter word.
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TEEHEE10 Down: "21. Bit of nonsense writing that typically gets a laugh"
Hints:
- This one runs 6 letters long.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: M____B
- Kicks off with 'M' and wraps up with 'B'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MADLIBHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Here's what tends to work if you solve these regularly:
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: | 1 minute 10 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 3
When does the Trivia Week 3 Mini go live?
Typically drops the evening before, around 10 PM ET.
How long should Trivia Week 3 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 3 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 3?
It mostly comes down to recognizing common short answers and catching puns fast. The rest is just reps.
Does Trivia Week 3 get harder as the week goes on?
It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.
