Trivia Week 3 July 21, 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: Todays 55 NYT Mini December 23 2025 | NYT Across Clues Answers November 16 | March 02 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | July 21, 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 | 61. Plumbing fixture found under the sink |
| 2 Across | 63. Reactions akin to "OMG!" |
| 3 Across | 49. Laptop brand |
| 4 Across | 24. Pen tips |
| 5 Across | 23. Urban environmental hazard |
| 6 Across | 41. ___ and haw |
| 7 Across | 33. The 12 angry men in "12 Angry Men," e.g. |
| 8 Across | 17. "Easy-peasy!" |
| 9 Across | 55. Backside |
| 10 Across | 64. Pigs' digs |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- February 09 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 02 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 18 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "61. Plumbing fixture found under the sink"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: P___P
Answer:
Click to reveal
PTRAP2 Across: "63. Reactions akin to "OMG!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: G___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
GASPS3 Across: "49. Laptop brand"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: A__R
Answer:
Click to reveal
ACER4 Across: "24. Pen tips"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: N__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
NIBS5 Across: "23. Urban environmental hazard"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: S__G
Answer:
Click to reveal
SMOG6 Across: "41. ___ and haw"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'M'
- Another word like this: ahem
Answer:
Click to reveal
HEM7 Across: "33. The 12 angry men in "12 Angry Men," e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: J____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
JURORS8 Across: "17. "Easy-peasy!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 16 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: B______________M
Answer:
Click to reveal
BADABINGBADABOOM9 Across: "55. Backside"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: H____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
HEINIE10 Across: "64. Pigs' digs"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Another word like this: pigpen
Answer:
Click to reveal
STYDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 43. Power-saving computer mode |
| 2 Down | 7. Subjects of some Billboard charts |
| 3 Down | 33. Part of a doorframe |
| 4 Down | 1. Hard work |
| 5 Down | 31. Teacher for a day |
| 6 Down | 54. Cat's warning |
| 7 Down | 27. Texting format, in brief |
| 8 Down | 29. Many internet spammers |
| 9 Down | 3. Corner store |
| 10 Down | 58. Put down |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- November 02 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 04 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- All NYT Down Clues October 03 2025 35
1 Down: "43. Power-saving computer mode"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: S___P
Answer:
Click to reveal
SLEEP2 Down: "7. Subjects of some Billboard charts"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALBUMS3 Down: "33. Part of a doorframe"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: J__B
Answer:
Click to reveal
JAMB4 Down: "1. Hard work"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: L___R
Answer:
Click to reveal
LABOR5 Down: "31. Teacher for a day"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'B'
- Another word like this: grinder
Answer:
Click to reveal
SUB6 Down: "54. Cat's warning"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: H__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
HISS7 Down: "27. Texting format, in brief"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: MSc
Answer:
Click to reveal
SMS8 Down: "29. Many internet spammers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: B__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOTS9 Down: "3. Corner store"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: B____A
Answer:
Click to reveal
BODEGA10 Down: "58. Put down"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: Orcus
Answer:
Click to reveal
DISHow 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: | 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.
