Trivia Week 3 May 18, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints
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: December 01 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | June 03 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | July 12 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | May 18, 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 | 25. Pioneering hybrid car |
| 2 Across | 46. "___ Calm and Carry On" |
| 3 Across | 43. Fibrous part of broccoli |
| 4 Across | 15. Stereotypical meal for a college student |
| 5 Across | 16. "Veni, ___, vici" |
| 6 Across | 48. Region |
| 7 Across | 44. Nothin' |
| 8 Across | 45. Cool, slangily |
| 9 Across | 67. Oopsie |
| 10 Across | 68. Lotion ingredient |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- June 03 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 09 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 20 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "25. Pioneering hybrid car"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T_________S
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOYOTAPRIUS2 Across: "46. "___ Calm and Carry On""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: K__P
Answer:
Click to reveal
KEEP3 Across: "43. Fibrous part of broccoli"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: S___K
Answer:
Click to reveal
STALK4 Across: "15. Stereotypical meal for a college student"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAMEN5 Across: "16. "Veni, ___, vici""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: V__I
Answer:
Click to reveal
VIDI6 Across: "48. Region"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
AREA7 Across: "44. Nothin'"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: N__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
NADA8 Across: "45. Cool, slangily"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
DOPE9 Across: "67. Oopsie"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: E___R
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERROR10 Across: "68. Lotion ingredient"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALOEDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 6. Sprinted |
| 2 Down | 64. Down Under bounder, for short |
| 3 Down | 42. Ticket price |
| 4 Down | 47. The "terrible twos" and the "threenager" years, for example |
| 5 Down | 41. Distorts, as data |
| 6 Down | 3. Macaroni shape |
| 7 Down | 12. "Au revoir!" |
| 8 Down | 29. Sent by post |
| 9 Down | 22. English town famous for its salts |
| 10 Down | 38. With it |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- June 03 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 20 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- December 02 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "6. Sprinted"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: ladder
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAN2 Down: "64. Down Under bounder, for short"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ROO3 Down: "42. Ticket price"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
FARE4 Down: "47. The "terrible twos" and the "threenager" years, for example"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
PHASES5 Down: "41. Distorts, as data"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
SKEWS6 Down: "3. Macaroni shape"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: E___W
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELBOW7 Down: "12. "Au revoir!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: A___U
Answer:
Click to reveal
ADIEU8 Down: "29. Sent by post"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: M____D
Answer:
Click to reveal
MAILED9 Down: "22. English town famous for its salts"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: E___M
Answer:
Click to reveal
EPSOM10 Down: "38. With it"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'P'
- Another word like this: rosehip
Answer:
Click to reveal
HIPHow 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: | 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.
