NYT Mini Answers July 15, 2026 - Trivia Week 3 Special
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: January 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | June 25 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | December 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | July 15, 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 | 28. Daffy Duck characteristic |
| 2 Across | 61. Major export of Ghana |
| 3 Across | 37. Good source of vitamin C |
| 4 Across | 44. Word with college or message |
| 5 Across | 40. Liam Neeson action trilogy |
| 6 Across | 25. Apple variety named for the state it was developed in |
| 7 Across | 58. Mortarboard wearer |
| 8 Across | 33. Largest human cells |
| 9 Across | 62. Brit's exclamation |
| 10 Across | 39. Ballpark fig. |
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 17
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 18
- All NYT Across Clues December 30 2025
1 Across: "28. Daffy Duck characteristic"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: L__P
Answer:
Click to reveal
LISP2 Across: "61. Major export of Ghana"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: Y__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
YAMS3 Across: "37. Good source of vitamin C"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: F___T
Answer:
Click to reveal
FRUIT4 Across: "44. Word with college or message"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOARDS5 Across: "40. Liam Neeson action trilogy"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: T___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
TAKEN6 Across: "25. Apple variety named for the state it was developed in"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
EMPIRE7 Across: "58. Mortarboard wearer"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: G__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
GRAD8 Across: "33. Largest human cells"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'A'
- Another word like this: ovum
Answer:
Click to reveal
OVA9 Across: "62. Brit's exclamation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: I__Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
ISAY10 Across: "39. Ballpark fig."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'T'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ESTDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 56. Word with run or lift |
| 2 Down | 35. Tacks on |
| 3 Down | 41. Sour soup |
| 4 Down | 45. Like San Francisco, frequently |
| 5 Down | 4. Days or Knights follower |
| 6 Down | 47. Hangs in there |
| 7 Down | 53. Contents of some carriers |
| 8 Down | 43. Rates of return |
| 9 Down | 2. Hail |
| 10 Down | 46. Early 2000s first lady |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 07 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers October 18
- January 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "56. Word with run or lift"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
SKI2 Down: "35. Tacks on"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ADDS3 Down: "41. Sour soup"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: B_____T
Answer:
Click to reveal
BORSCHT4 Down: "45. Like San Francisco, frequently"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: F___Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
FOGGY5 Down: "4. Days or Knights follower"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: lodge
Answer:
Click to reveal
INN6 Down: "47. Hangs in there"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
COPES7 Down: "53. Contents of some carriers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
PETS8 Down: "43. Rates of return"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: Y____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
YIELDS9 Down: "2. Hail"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: L__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
LAUD10 Down: "46. Early 2000s first lady"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: L___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
LAURAHow 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 58 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.
