NYT Mini Answers February 02, 2026 - Trivia Week 1 Special
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: Todays 55 NYT Mini November 26 2025 | All NYT Down Clues December 08 2025 39 | Todays NYT Crossword Down Clues |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | February 02, 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 | 36. Bring home, as money |
| 2 Across | 32. End of a school's web address |
| 3 Across | 33. Inspiration for a 2017 Tony-nominated musical |
| 4 Across | 16. First word in two U.S. state names |
| 5 Across | 14. With, in French |
| 6 Across | 63. Red, in Spanish |
| 7 Across | 60. Gaze intently |
| 8 Across | 54. Bad odor |
| 9 Across | 41. 1993 film that featured "I Got You Babe" |
| 10 Across | 24. Painting the town red, so to speak |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- August 04 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 27 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 21 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "36. Bring home, as money"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: E__N
Answer: Click to reveal
EARN
2 Across: "32. End of a school's web address"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'U'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
EDU
3 Across: "33. Inspiration for a 2017 Tony-nominated musical"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: G__________Y
Answer: Click to reveal
GROUNDHOGDAY
4 Across: "16. First word in two U.S. state names"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: N___H
Answer: Click to reveal
NORTH
5 Across: "14. With, in French"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: A__C
Answer: Click to reveal
AVEC
6 Across: "63. Red, in Spanish"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: R__O
Answer: Click to reveal
ROJO
7 Across: "60. Gaze intently"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S___E
Answer: Click to reveal
STARE
8 Across: "54. Bad odor"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: S____H
Answer: Click to reveal
STENCH
9 Across: "41. 1993 film that featured "I Got You Babe""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: G__________Y
Answer: Click to reveal
GROUNDHOGDAY
10 Across: "24. Painting the town red, so to speak"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: O____G
Answer: Click to reveal
ONAJAG
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 61. ___ Maria (coffee liqueur) |
| 2 Down | 30. Rear end, informally |
| 3 Down | 12. When a flight is due to land, for short |
| 4 Down | 45. Regarding |
| 5 Down | 42. Pro gridiron officials, informally |
| 6 Down | 33. African grazer |
| 7 Down | 31. Common saying |
| 8 Down | 60. That girl |
| 9 Down | 10. Triumphant cry |
| 10 Down | 27. Fellas |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- All NYT Down Clues December 08 2025 39
- August 04 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Todays NYT Crossword Down Clues
1 Down: "61. ___ Maria (coffee liqueur)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
TIA
2 Down: "30. Rear end, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: T___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
TUSHY
3 Down: "12. When a flight is due to land, for short"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ETA
4 Down: "45. Regarding"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A__O
Answer: Click to reveal
ASTO
5 Down: "42. Pro gridiron officials, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: N_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
NFLREFS
6 Down: "33. African grazer"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'U'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
GNU
7 Down: "31. Common saying"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A___E
Answer: Click to reveal
ADAGE
8 Down: "60. That girl"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
SHE
9 Down: "10. Triumphant cry"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: B___A
Answer: Click to reveal
BOOYA
10 Down: "27. Fellas"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: G__S
Answer: Click to reveal
GUYS
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 1 minute 10 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 1
When can I play the Trivia Week 1 Mini?
The Trivia Week 1 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 1?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 1 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 1?
No! The Trivia Week 1 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 1 solver?
Good Trivia Week 1 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 1?
Trivia Week 1 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
