Quick NYT Mini Crossword May 21, 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: Todays 55 NYT Mini December 13 2025 | May 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | February 07 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | May 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 | 5. River whose southernmost source is found in Burundi |
| 2 Across | 65. German Ms. |
| 3 Across | 1. Gossiped-about duo |
| 4 Across | 16. Traditional Vietnamese garment whose name means "long shirt" |
| 5 Across | 62. "Beware the ___ of a patient man": John Dryden |
| 6 Across | 38. Move like a fox |
| 7 Across | 63. Ordered |
| 8 Across | 64. Increase, as interest |
| 9 Across | 34. Goat's cry |
| 10 Across | 46. Legal boundaries? |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
1 Across: "5. River whose southernmost source is found in Burundi"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
NILE2 Across: "65. German Ms."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: F__U
Answer:
Click to reveal
FRAU3 Across: "1. Gossiped-about duo"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: I__M
Answer:
Click to reveal
ITEM4 Across: "16. Traditional Vietnamese garment whose name means "long shirt""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: A___I
Answer:
Click to reveal
AODAI5 Across: "62. "Beware the ___ of a patient man": John Dryden"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: F__Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
FURY6 Across: "38. Move like a fox"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: S___K
Answer:
Click to reveal
SKULK7 Across: "63. Ordered"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
BADE8 Across: "64. Increase, as interest"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: P___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
PIQUE9 Across: "34. Goat's cry"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
MAA10 Across: "46. Legal boundaries?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: ALT
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELSDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 1. Short negative review |
| 2 Down | 9. The so-called "Pineapple Isle" |
| 3 Down | 3. "Bingo!" |
| 4 Down | 58. End piece? |
| 5 Down | 13. ChatGPT, Claude, etc. |
| 6 Down | 8. Philanthropic group with a clock face in its logo |
| 7 Down | 32. "Changed my mind," in editing notation |
| 8 Down | 49. Fixate |
| 9 Down | 61. Some test figs. |
| 10 Down | 53. Far from house-trained |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Quick NYT Mini Crossword December 04
- Across Clues NYT October 19 2025 Todays
- October 18 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "1. Short negative review"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: I____D
Answer:
Click to reveal
ITSBAD2 Down: "9. The so-called "Pineapple Isle""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: L___I
Answer:
Click to reveal
LANAI3 Down: "3. "Bingo!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: E_________O
Answer:
Click to reveal
EXACTAMUNDO4 Down: "58. End piece?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: O__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
OBIT5 Down: "13. ChatGPT, Claude, etc."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: AI
Answer:
Click to reveal
AIS6 Down: "8. Philanthropic group with a clock face in its logo"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELKS7 Down: "32. "Changed my mind," in editing notation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
STET8 Down: "49. Fixate"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: O____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
OBSESS9 Down: "61. Some test figs."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: IQ
Answer:
Click to reveal
IQS10 Down: "53. Far from house-trained"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: F___L
Answer:
Click to reveal
FERALHow 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 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.
