Trivia Week 2 September 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: July 02 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Across Crossword September 18 2025 | NYT Crossword Down October 27 2025 All |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 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
Today's layout is the usual 5x5: five columns, five rows.
| 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
- Read through all the clues before filling in a single square.
- Start with anything three letters or shorter.
- Crossing letters are your best friend for the trickier answers.
- Question mark clues (?) almost always mean wordplay, not a literal answer.
- Watch for the usual suspects: THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT.
Quick Facts
- Total squares: 25 (5 × 5)
- Typical solve time: well under a minute for most regulars
- Good time to play: on a coffee break
- Difficulty: built to be approachable
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 20. "Thick ___ Brick" (1972 Jethro Tull album) |
| 2 Across | 36. "Now we're talking!" |
| 3 Across | 48. Toothbrush handle? |
| 4 Across | 40. Common ___ |
| 5 Across | 56. Punnily named production company behind TV's "Insecure" and "A Black Lady Sketch Show" |
| 6 Across | 46. Word with letter or grant |
| 7 Across | 58. Common sleep aid |
| 8 Across | 28. Justice who's the subject of the 2026 biography "Revenge for the Sixties" |
| 9 Across | 60. Acquire by default? |
| 10 Across | 17. Winner's circle? |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- All NYT Across Clues September 30 2025
- August 20 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Crossword December 05 2025
1 Across: "20. "Thick ___ Brick" (1972 Jethro Tull album)"
Hints:
- It's a 3-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'A'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASA2 Across: "36. "Now we're talking!""
Hints:
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'T'.
- You're looking for 15 letters.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: T_____________T
Answer:
Click to reveal
THATSMORELIKEIT3 Across: "48. Toothbrush handle?"
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- Starts with 'O', ends with 'B'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ORALB4 Across: "40. Common ___"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- You could also think of it as "epoch."
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'A'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERA5 Across: "56. Punnily named production company behind TV's "Insecure" and "A Black Lady Sketch Show""
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'H' and wraps up with 'E'.
- It's a 6-letter word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: H____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
HOORAE6 Across: "46. Word with letter or grant"
Hints:
- Starts with 'B', ends with 'K'.
- You could also think of it as "stuff."
- Count on 5 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BLOCK7 Across: "58. Common sleep aid"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'W' and wraps up with 'E'.
- Blank it out and you get: W________E
- This one runs 10 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
WHITENOISE8 Across: "28. Justice who's the subject of the 2026 biography "Revenge for the Sixties""
Hints:
- This one runs 5 letters long.
- First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'O'.
- Blank it out and you get: A___O
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALITO9 Across: "60. Acquire by default?"
Hints:
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'O'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- If that helps, the shape is: R__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
REPO10 Across: "17. Winner's circle?"
Hints:
- Starts with 'V', ends with 'P'.
- It's a 10-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
VICTORYLAPDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 5. Certain geometry calculations |
| 2 Down | 49. Capacious |
| 3 Down | 59. Placeholder abbr. |
| 4 Down | 50. Surface |
| 5 Down | 43. Godzilla adversary |
| 6 Down | 31. "It's finally clear" |
| 7 Down | 35. Simoleon |
| 8 Down | 30. Rewards program tracker |
| 9 Down | 38. Journalist Larson who wrote "The Splendid and the Vile" |
| 10 Down | 32. Phone connector? |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- Mini Crossword NYT October 30 2025
- August 20 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 23 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "5. Certain geometry calculations"
Hints:
- Count on 6 letters here.
- Close enough in meaning: spill.
- Think of it this way — an elevated geological formation.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SLOPES2 Down: "49. Capacious"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: R___Y
- Think of it this way — an associate who shares a room with you.
- Kicks off with 'R' and wraps up with 'Y'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ROOMY3 Down: "59. Placeholder abbr."
Hints:
- First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'D'.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TBD4 Down: "50. Surface"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "bob up."
- Basically, come into existence; take on form or shape.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: A___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARISE5 Down: "43. Godzilla adversary"
Hints:
- Starts with 'M', ends with 'A'.
- Count on 6 letters here.
- Blank it out and you get: M____A
Answer:
Click to reveal
MOTHRA6 Down: "31. "It's finally clear""
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: O_______E
- It's a 9-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'O' and wraps up with 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OHNOWISEE7 Down: "35. Simoleon"
Hints:
- This one runs 4 letters long.
- Kicks off with 'C' and wraps up with 'M'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
CLAM8 Down: "30. Rewards program tracker"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: S_______D
- It's a 9-letter word.
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
STAMPCARD9 Down: "38. Journalist Larson who wrote "The Splendid and the Vile""
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'K'.
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERIK10 Down: "32. Phone connector?"
Hints:
- It's a 9-letter word.
- Blank it out and you get: D_______P
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'P'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DATINGAPPHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Some habits that speed things up over time:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Read it all first: Go through every clue once before writing anything down — it primes your brain even on the ones you skip.
- Grab the short ones: Two and three letter answers (things like "IT" or "ON") are usually the easiest place to start.
- Use the crossings: Once a couple of words are in, the crossing letters do a lot of the work for you on the harder ones.
- Watch for question marks: A "?" at the end of a clue almost always signals a pun rather than a literal answer.
- Keep the regulars in mind: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE — these turn up often enough that it's worth remembering them.
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: | 58 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 2
When does the Trivia Week 2 Mini go live?
Typically drops the evening before, around 10 PM ET.
How long should Trivia Week 2 take me?
Most people land somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Slower than that is completely normal too — it gets faster with practice.
Is Trivia Week 2 free to play?
It's free to play, unlike the main NYT Crossword which sits behind a paywall.
What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 2?
Knowing the common short words, spotting wordplay quickly, and reading crossing letters well — that combination gets you most of the way there.
Does Trivia Week 2 get harder as the week goes on?
It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.
