Quick NYT Mini Crossword July 28, 2026 (Trivia Week 4) - 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: Xwordhint Crossword Answers November 27 | Down Clues NYT November 25 2025 Todays | Down Clues NYT November 16 2025 Todays |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | July 28, 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 | 29. Bonfire remains |
| 2 Across | 63. Spot to huddle under during a rainstorm |
| 3 Across | 28. Myrmecology subject |
| 4 Across | 24. Primer mes del año |
| 5 Across | 62. Once more |
| 6 Across | 55. Bubble tea bubbles |
| 7 Across | 15. Diet that eschews processed food |
| 8 Across | 31. *Home of the lowest town-level ZIP code in the continental U.S. (01001) |
| 9 Across | 25. *Essential oil with a musky scent |
| 10 Across | 21. "Out with ya now!" |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 14
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers November 27
- Todays NYT Crossword Down Clues
1 Across: "29. Bonfire remains"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASH2 Across: "63. Spot to huddle under during a rainstorm"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
EAVE3 Across: "28. Myrmecology subject"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: pismire
Answer:
Click to reveal
ANT4 Across: "24. Primer mes del año"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: E___O
Answer:
Click to reveal
ENERO5 Across: "62. Once more"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
AGAIN6 Across: "55. Bubble tea bubbles"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
PEARLS7 Across: "15. Diet that eschews processed food"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: P___O
Answer:
Click to reveal
PALEO8 Across: "31. *Home of the lowest town-level ZIP code in the continental U.S. (01001)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 13 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M___________S
Answer:
Click to reveal
MASSACHUSETTS9 Across: "25. *Essential oil with a musky scent"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: P_______I
Answer:
Click to reveal
PATCHOULI10 Across: "21. "Out with ya now!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: puke
Answer:
Click to reveal
GITDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 43. Part of a country located entirely within another country |
| 2 Down | 35. Evian, Perrier or Badoit |
| 3 Down | 51. Letter that can take a cedilla |
| 4 Down | 8. Units in horse racing |
| 5 Down | 13. Involve |
| 6 Down | 2. Insect's feeler |
| 7 Down | 1. Sporting group at a cold-weather school |
| 8 Down | 42. "Oof, painfully true" |
| 9 Down | 11. Plays the yes-man |
| 10 Down | 10. Query |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- May 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Today December 07 2025
- August 12 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "43. Part of a country located entirely within another country"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E_____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
EXCLAVE2 Down: "35. Evian, Perrier or Badoit"
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
EAU3 Down: "51. Letter that can take a cedilla"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
CEE4 Down: "8. Units in horse racing"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L_____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
LENGTHS5 Down: "13. Involve"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: E____L
Answer:
Click to reveal
ENTAIL6 Down: "2. Insect's feeler"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A_____A
Answer:
Click to reveal
ANTENNA7 Down: "1. Sporting group at a cold-weather school"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S_____M
Answer:
Click to reveal
SKITEAM8 Down: "42. "Oof, painfully true""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: T_____L
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOOREAL9 Down: "11. Plays the yes-man"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C_____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
CONCURS10 Down: "10. Query"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'K'
- Another word like this: enquire
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASKHow 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 3 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 4
When can I play the Trivia Week 4 Mini?
The Trivia Week 4 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 4?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 4 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 4?
No! The Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 4 solver?
Good Trivia Week 4 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 4?
Trivia Week 4 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
