NYT Mini Trivia Week 2 July 13, 2026 - Hints & Answers
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: June 05 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | June 06 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | November 05 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | July 13, 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 | 55. Laudatory verse |
| 2 Across | 62. "Begone!" |
| 3 Across | 52. Three-note chord |
| 4 Across | 33. "Of course!" |
| 5 Across | 1. Similar (to) |
| 6 Across | 34. Relieves (of) |
| 7 Across | 48. Small aircraft for short flights |
| 8 Across | 56. Not as much |
| 9 Across | 65. One who saves the day |
| 10 Across | 35. Metaphorical Cold War barrier |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- June 05 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 22 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 22 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "55. Laudatory verse"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ODE2 Across: "62. "Begone!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
SCAT3 Across: "52. Three-note chord"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: T___D
Answer:
Click to reveal
TRIAD4 Across: "33. "Of course!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
YES5 Across: "1. Similar (to)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A__N
Answer:
Click to reveal
AKIN6 Across: "34. Relieves (of)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
RIDS7 Across: "48. Small aircraft for short flights"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: T_______P
Answer:
Click to reveal
TURBOPROP8 Across: "56. Not as much"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
LESS9 Across: "65. One who saves the day"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: H__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
HERO10 Across: "35. Metaphorical Cold War barrier"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I_________N
Answer:
Click to reveal
IRONCURTAINDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 10. Minimal |
| 2 Down | 39. Emphatic affirmative |
| 3 Down | 33. "Dee-lish!" |
| 4 Down | 7. Indy racer Al or Bobby |
| 5 Down | 54. Eyelid affliction |
| 6 Down | 18. Ohio port on Lake Erie |
| 7 Down | 38. Avoided a trial, say |
| 8 Down | 37. With a clean slate |
| 9 Down | 24. Tall tale tellers |
| 10 Down | 13. Sneaky types |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- NYT Down Clues Answers November 05 2025
- October 07 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 07 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "10. Minimal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S___T
Answer:
Click to reveal
SCANT2 Down: "39. Emphatic affirmative"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: I_____O
Answer:
Click to reveal
ISUREDO3 Down: "33. "Dee-lish!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'M'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
YUM4 Down: "7. Indy racer Al or Bobby"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: U___R
Answer:
Click to reveal
UNSER5 Down: "54. Eyelid affliction"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
STYE6 Down: "18. Ohio port on Lake Erie"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: T____O
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOLEDO7 Down: "38. Avoided a trial, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: S_____D
Answer:
Click to reveal
SETTLED8 Down: "37. With a clean slate"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: A____H
Answer:
Click to reveal
AFRESH9 Down: "24. Tall tale tellers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
LIARS10 Down: "13. Sneaky types"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: W_____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
WEASELSHow 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 52 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
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.
