Trivia Week 3 October 21, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints
Here's today's NYT Mini — 20 clues in total, and we've got hints plus answers for every one of them.
Popular Puzzles: March 12 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | November 25 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | March 27 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 21, 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
- Read through all the clues before filling in a single square.
- Start with anything three letters or shorter.
- Crossing letters are your best friend for the trickier answers.
- Question mark clues (?) almost always mean wordplay, not a literal answer.
- Watch for the usual suspects: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT.
Quick Facts
- Total squares: 25 (5 × 5)
- Typical solve time: well under a minute for most regulars
- Good time to play: on a coffee break
- Difficulty: built to be approachable
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 62. Figures in some rumored landings, for short |
| 2 Across | 38. Nutrition sources |
| 3 Across | 61. Stephen King's telekinetic teen of horror |
| 4 Across | 48. "A Nightmare on ___ Street" |
| 5 Across | 37. Great sorrow |
| 6 Across | 14. Not well known |
| 7 Across | 63. Short Instagram posting |
| 8 Across | 42. Wood shop: A |
| 9 Across | 64. Difficult, as a problem |
| 10 Across | 56. History: A+ |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- November 07 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 10 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 20 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "62. Figures in some rumored landings, for short"
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'S'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ETS2 Across: "38. Nutrition sources"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'D' and wraps up with 'S'.
- Close enough in meaning: diet.
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DIETS3 Across: "61. Stephen King's telekinetic teen of horror"
Hints:
- It's a 6-letter word.
- Starts with 'C', ends with 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
CARRIE4 Across: "48. "A Nightmare on ___ Street""
Hints:
- 'elmwood' points in the same direction.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'M'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELM5 Across: "37. Great sorrow"
Hints:
- Starts with 'W', ends with 'E'.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
WOE6 Across: "14. Not well known"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'E'.
- You're looking for 6 letters.
- Basically, requiring secret or mysterious knowledge.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARCANE7 Across: "63. Short Instagram posting"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Close enough in meaning: lurch.
- It's a 4-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
REEL8 Across: "42. Wood shop: A"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: B___________R
- Count on 13 letters here.
- Kicks off with 'B' and wraps up with 'R'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BUILDINGSUPER9 Across: "64. Difficult, as a problem"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: knobbed.
- First letter's a 'K', last letter's a 'Y'.
- It's a 6-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
KNOTTY10 Across: "56. History: A+"
Hints:
- It's a 11-letter word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: P_________T
- Kicks off with 'P' and wraps up with 'T'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
PASTPERFECTDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 38. Fabulous, in slang |
| 2 Down | 11. First and last, say |
| 3 Down | 12. "That checks out" |
| 4 Down | 58. Tried for office |
| 5 Down | 4. Fifth Avenue retailer |
| 6 Down | 35. One that's hard to crack |
| 7 Down | 29. Birds with a Baltimore species |
| 8 Down | 18. Sly look, say |
| 9 Down | 57. Blvd. crosser |
| 10 Down | 49. Allowed |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- January 21 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 01
- November 07 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "38. Fabulous, in slang"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: cola.
- Kicks off with 'D' and wraps up with 'E'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DOPE2 Down: "11. First and last, say"
Hints:
- Starts with 'F', ends with 'E'.
- Count on 8 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
FULLNAME3 Down: "12. "That checks out""
Hints:
- You're looking for 8 letters.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: I______T
- Starts with 'I', ends with 'T'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ITSLEGIT4 Down: "58. Tried for office"
Hints:
- 'incline' points in the same direction.
- Think of it this way — move fast by using one's feet.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAN5 Down: "4. Fifth Avenue retailer"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'S'.
- Count on 4 letters here.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SAKS6 Down: "35. One that's hard to crack"
Hints:
- You're looking for 8 letters.
- Kicks off with 'T' and wraps up with 'T'.
- If that helps, the shape is: T______T
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOUGHNUT7 Down: "29. Birds with a Baltimore species"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "oriole."
- Kicks off with 'O' and wraps up with 'S'.
- Count on 7 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ORIOLES8 Down: "18. Sly look, say"
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: G__N
- 'smile' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GRIN9 Down: "57. Blvd. crosser"
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'E'.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AVE10 Down: "49. Allowed"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'L' and wraps up with 'T'.
- Close enough in meaning: lawful.
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LICITHow 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 3 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?
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 3 get harder as the week goes on?
It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.
