Quick NYT Mini Crossword August 08, 2026 (Trivia Week 2) - 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: NYT Crossword Down October 08 2025 All | NYT Across Crossword October 28 2025 | December 02 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | August 08, 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 | 24. Kind of coating applied to metal |
| 2 Across | 38. Relieved response |
| 3 Across | 35. "Comprende?" |
| 4 Across | 28. University of California campus site |
| 5 Across | 16. Woodard with multiple Emmys |
| 6 Across | 44. Instrument measuring liquid density |
| 7 Across | 31. Braided rope made of rawhide |
| 8 Across | 47. Section of a golf bag |
| 9 Across | 45. French beauty |
| 10 Across | 21. Summertime top |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- All NYT Across Clues October 27 2025 37
- March 26 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Crossword October 28 2025
1 Across: "24. Kind of coating applied to metal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A______T
Answer:
Click to reveal
ANTIRUST2 Across: "38. Relieved response"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
- Another word like this: ooh
Answer:
Click to reveal
AAH3 Across: "35. "Comprende?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: G___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
GETME4 Across: "28. University of California campus site"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
DAVIS5 Across: "16. Woodard with multiple Emmys"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALFRE6 Across: "44. Instrument measuring liquid density"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: H________R
Answer:
Click to reveal
HYDROMETER7 Across: "31. Braided rope made of rawhide"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: R___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
RIATA8 Across: "47. Section of a golf bag"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
IRONS9 Across: "45. French beauty"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B_______E
Answer:
Click to reveal
BELLEAMIE10 Across: "21. Summertime top"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S_________T
Answer:
Click to reveal
SLEEVELESSTDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 36. One requesting simpler terms? |
| 2 Down | 41. Parliamentary seats? |
| 3 Down | 33. Warding (off) |
| 4 Down | 31. Hit from behind |
| 5 Down | 14. Damn fine |
| 6 Down | 40. Short-lived interest |
| 7 Down | 43. Per |
| 8 Down | 26. Founder of Argentina's first female-led political party, familiarly |
| 9 Down | 5. Investment bond in W.W. II |
| 10 Down | 37. Channel inserts |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Thursday NYT Down Solutions December 11
- March 10 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Crossword Down October 08 2025 All
1 Down: "36. One requesting simpler terms?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: L____N
Answer:
Click to reveal
LAYMAN2 Down: "41. Parliamentary seats?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARSES3 Down: "33. Warding (off)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: F_____G
Answer:
Click to reveal
FENDING4 Down: "31. Hit from behind"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: R_____D
Answer:
Click to reveal
REAREND5 Down: "14. Damn fine"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: H_____A
Answer:
Click to reveal
HELLUVA6 Down: "40. Short-lived interest"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: P___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
PHASE7 Down: "43. Per"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALA8 Down: "26. Founder of Argentina's first female-led political party, familiarly"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: E________N
Answer:
Click to reveal
EVITAPERON9 Down: "5. Investment bond in W.W. II"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S_____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
SERIESE10 Down: "37. Channel inserts"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
STENTSHow 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: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 2
When can I play the Trivia Week 2 Mini?
The Trivia Week 2 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 2?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 2 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 2?
No! The Trivia Week 2 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 2 solver?
Good Trivia Week 2 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 2?
Trivia Week 2 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
