Quick NYT Mini Crossword February 19, 2026 (Trivia Week 3) - Solutions
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: September 02 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | January 07 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | May 22 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | February 19, 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 | 15. In possession of |
| 2 Across | 51. Be defeated by |
| 3 Across | 37. Jot down |
| 4 Across | 65. Completely immersed, perhaps |
| 5 Across | 23. Part of a window above the apron |
| 6 Across | 24. One-half of a golf partnership, perhaps |
| 7 Across | 66. Some colorful plastic items in the seasonal aisle in the spring |
| 8 Across | 34. Swindled |
| 9 Across | 64. Volunteer's words |
| 10 Across | 5. Choctaw or Chickasaw |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- March 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Mini Crossword Answers Today_15
1 Across: "15. In possession of"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: H____G
Answer: Click to reveal
HAVING
2 Across: "51. Be defeated by"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: L____O
Answer: Click to reveal
LOSETO
3 Across: "37. Jot down"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N__E
Answer: Click to reveal
NOTE
4 Across: "65. Completely immersed, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S____D
Answer: Click to reveal
SOAKED
5 Across: "23. Part of a window above the apron"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: S__L
Answer: Click to reveal
SILL
6 Across: "24. One-half of a golf partnership, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
PRO
7 Across: "66. Some colorful plastic items in the seasonal aisle in the spring"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer: Click to reveal
EGGS
8 Across: "34. Swindled"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: S___G
Answer: Click to reveal
STUNG
9 Across: "64. Volunteer's words"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I__N
Answer: Click to reveal
ICAN
10 Across: "5. Choctaw or Chickasaw"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: T___E
Answer: Click to reveal
TRIBE
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 30. "What was ___ think?" |
| 2 Down | 28. Sunken treasure sites |
| 3 Down | 3. Metaphor for a challenging puzzle |
| 4 Down | 32. Ruling class |
| 5 Down | 63. Screen, as a candidate |
| 6 Down | 19. Talking back to |
| 7 Down | 58. Actress Kurylenko |
| 8 Down | 55. Over yonder |
| 9 Down | 41. Card game clarification |
| 10 Down | 39. Varnish ingredient |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 20 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "30. "What was ___ think?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ITO
2 Down: "28. Sunken treasure sites"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
SEABEDS
3 Down: "3. Metaphor for a challenging puzzle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: T______T
Answer: Click to reveal
TOUGHNUT
4 Down: "32. Ruling class"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E___E
Answer: Click to reveal
ELITE
5 Down: "63. Screen, as a candidate"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: veteran
Answer: Click to reveal
VET
6 Down: "19. Talking back to"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: S_____G
Answer: Click to reveal
SASSING
7 Down: "58. Actress Kurylenko"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: O__A
Answer: Click to reveal
OLGA
8 Down: "55. Over yonder"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: A__R
Answer: Click to reveal
AFAR
9 Down: "41. Card game clarification"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: A______H
Answer: Click to reveal
ACESHIGH
10 Down: "39. Varnish ingredient"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R___N
Answer: Click to reveal
RESIN
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: | Easy |
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.
