Trivia Week 2 October 12, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints
Today's Mini has 20 clues to get through. Hints and answers for all of them are below.
Popular Puzzles: April 29 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | January 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | September 30 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 12, 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 2 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
Standard Mini size again: 5 across, 5 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 One Fast
- Skim every clue once before you write anything — your brain keeps chewing on the ones you don't solve right away.
- Knock out the short answers (3 letters or under) first.
- Lean on the crossing letters once a couple of words are in.
- A question mark in a clue usually means there's a pun coming.
- THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT — these little words show up constantly, keep them in your back pocket.
Quick Facts
- Squares in the grid: 25
- How long it takes: usually under a minute once you're warmed up
- Best moment for it: any short break
- Overall difficulty: easy-going by design
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 41. "No ___, no foul" |
| 2 Across | 22. Mail carrier's assignment: Abbr. |
| 3 Across | 1. "Let's not forget ..." |
| 4 Across | 58. Positioned precariously ... or where the ends of 16-, 24-, 35- and 49-Across can all be found |
| 5 Across | 66. ___ off (miffed) |
| 6 Across | 18. God with a bow and arrow |
| 7 Across | 48. Furious |
| 8 Across | 30. Quick kiss |
| 9 Across | 13. Close by |
| 10 Across | 20. Investment option for old age, in brief |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- July 03 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 30 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "41. "No ___, no foul""
Hints:
- Count on 4 letters here.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'H', last letter's a 'M'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
HARM2 Across: "22. Mail carrier's assignment: Abbr."
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RTE3 Across: "1. "Let's not forget ...""
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Close enough in meaning: besides.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: A__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALSO4 Across: "58. Positioned precariously ... or where the ends of 16-, 24-, 35- and 49-Across can all be found"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'O', last letter's a 'B'.
- It's a 10-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OUTONALIMB5 Across: "66. ___ off (miffed)"
Hints:
- Starts with 'T', ends with 'D'.
- You could also think of it as "tee up."
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TEED6 Across: "18. God with a bow and arrow"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: E__S
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'S'.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EROS7 Across: "48. Furious"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'M' and wraps up with 'D'.
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Think of it this way — roused to anger; - Mark Twain.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MAD8 Across: "30. Quick kiss"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'P' and wraps up with 'K'.
- 'lot' points in the same direction.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
PECK9 Across: "13. Close by"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: N__R
- Close enough in meaning: about.
- Basically, move towards.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NEAR10 Across: "20. Investment option for old age, in brief"
Hints:
- Starts with 'I', ends with 'A'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Close enough in meaning: anger.
Answer:
Click to reveal
IRADown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 24. ___ Marian, Robin Hood's beloved |
| 2 Down | 26. Sound from the horse's mouth |
| 3 Down | 36. Follows an order |
| 4 Down | 4. "Citizen Kane" director Welles |
| 5 Down | 60. Anxious condition, in brief |
| 6 Down | 50. Give a leg up |
| 7 Down | 57. Residue on a grill |
| 8 Down | 6. Astounded state |
| 9 Down | 55. Squid's defensive output |
| 10 Down | 12. City map next to a state map, e.g. |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- September 30 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 28 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "24. ___ Marian, Robin Hood's beloved"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'M', last letter's a 'D'.
- Close enough in meaning: maiden.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MAID2 Down: "26. Sound from the horse's mouth"
Hints:
- 'whicker' points in the same direction.
- First letter's a 'N', last letter's a 'H'.
- If that helps, the shape is: N___H
Answer:
Click to reveal
NEIGH3 Down: "36. Follows an order"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: O___S
- Kicks off with 'O' and wraps up with 'S'.
- Close enough in meaning: obey.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OBEYS4 Down: "4. "Citizen Kane" director Welles"
Hints:
- Count on 5 letters here.
- Starts with 'O', ends with 'N'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ORSON5 Down: "60. Anxious condition, in brief"
Hints:
- It's a 3-letter word.
- Starts with 'O', ends with 'D'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OCD6 Down: "50. Give a leg up"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "hike."
- It's a 5-letter word.
- First letter's a 'B', last letter's a 'T'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOOST7 Down: "57. Residue on a grill"
Hints:
- Starts with 'A', ends with 'H'.
- In plain terms: the residue that remains when something is burned.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASH8 Down: "6. Astounded state"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Think of it this way — an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration.
- Close enough in meaning: fear.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AWE9 Down: "55. Squid's defensive output"
Hints:
- Starts with 'I', ends with 'K'.
- Basically, a liquid used for printing or writing or drawing.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
INK10 Down: "12. City map next to a state map, e.g."
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "gusset."
- Blank it out and you get: I___T
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
INSETHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Some habits that speed things up over time:
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: | 52 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 2
When does the Trivia Week 2 Mini go live?
It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.
How long should Trivia Week 2 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 2 free to play?
Nope, it's free — no subscription needed like the full-size crossword.
What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 2?
It mostly comes down to recognizing common short answers and catching puns fast. The rest is just reps.
Does Trivia Week 2 get harder as the week goes on?
Difficulty shifts through the week; expect Monday to be gentle and Saturday to bite a bit more.
