NYT Mini Trivia Week 3 August 21, 2026 - Hints & Answers
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: Mini Crossword NYT November 14 2025 | May 27 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | April 22 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | August 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 {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 | 30. Advantageous |
| 2 Across | 58. Stuff in shakers |
| 3 Across | 51. Mass. summer setting |
| 4 Across | 49. Especially ornate |
| 5 Across | 38. Italian hero? |
| 6 Across | 27. One-named pop star with Monkey Puzzle Records |
| 7 Across | 15. Coupling rings? |
| 8 Across | 54. School units |
| 9 Across | 25. Key for getting out |
| 10 Across | 17. Come (together) |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today_17
- January 11 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 25 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "30. Advantageous"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
OFUSE2 Across: "58. Stuff in shakers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
SALT3 Across: "51. Mass. summer setting"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
EDT4 Across: "49. Especially ornate"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: R____O
Answer:
Click to reveal
ROCOCO5 Across: "38. Italian hero?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: M_________B
Answer:
Click to reveal
MEATBALLSUB6 Across: "27. One-named pop star with Monkey Puzzle Records"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
SIA7 Across: "15. Coupling rings?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B________S
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOOTYCALLS8 Across: "54. School units"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
DESKS9 Across: "25. Key for getting out"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'C'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ESC10 Across: "17. Come (together)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: B__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
BANDDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 12. Haut monde |
| 2 Down | 53. "Cheerio" |
| 3 Down | 3. Place for a quick stop |
| 4 Down | 50. Julio ___ Chávez (boxing legend) |
| 5 Down | 37. First filmmaker to receive the Order of Culture in Japan |
| 6 Down | 4. Puzzle |
| 7 Down | 26. Some baroque instruments |
| 8 Down | 29. Diamond wear |
| 9 Down | 40. One might leave you unprotected at night |
| 10 Down | 52. Possessive pronoun |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- November 25 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today_17
- April 22 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "12. Haut monde"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELITES2 Down: "53. "Cheerio""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: T__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
TATA3 Down: "3. Place for a quick stop"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: M______T
Answer:
Click to reveal
MINIMART4 Down: "50. Julio ___ Chávez (boxing legend)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: C___R
Answer:
Click to reveal
CESAR5 Down: "37. First filmmaker to receive the Order of Culture in Japan"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: K______A
Answer:
Click to reveal
KUROSAWA6 Down: "4. Puzzle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ADDLE7 Down: "26. Some baroque instruments"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
LUTES8 Down: "29. Diamond wear"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: M__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
MITT9 Down: "40. One might leave you unprotected at night"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: B____G
Answer:
Click to reveal
BEDHOG10 Down: "52. Possessive pronoun"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: H__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
HERSHow 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 52 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 3
When can I play the Trivia Week 3 Mini?
The Trivia Week 3 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 3?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 3 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 3?
No! The Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 3 solver?
Good Trivia Week 3 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 3?
Trivia Week 3 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
