Quick NYT Mini Crossword August 12, 2026 (Trivia Week 2) - Solutions
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 NYT Crossword Across Clues_21 | October 16 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | October 23 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | August 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 {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 | 69. Baking amts. |
| 2 Across | 44. Word with run or resort |
| 3 Across | 56. "OK," in Osaka |
| 4 Across | 16. On the sea, it's akin to "SÃ" |
| 5 Across | 43. Boba tea flavor |
| 6 Across | 27. Didn't have a match in Go Fish, say |
| 7 Across | 28. Feeling little to no amorous attraction, in L.G.B.T.Q.+ lingo |
| 8 Across | 15. Torment |
| 9 Across | 55. Extreme craving |
| 10 Across | 42. 2024 film that won Best Picture |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- October 23 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 27 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 11 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "69. Baking amts."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
TSPS2 Across: "44. Word with run or resort"
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
SKI3 Across: "56. "OK," in Osaka"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
HAI4 Across: "16. On the sea, it's akin to "SÃ""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
AYE5 Across: "43. Boba tea flavor"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: T__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
TARO6 Across: "27. Didn't have a match in Go Fish, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: D__W
Answer:
Click to reveal
DREW7 Across: "28. Feeling little to no amorous attraction, in L.G.B.T.Q.+ lingo"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARO8 Across: "15. Torment"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: H____W
Answer:
Click to reveal
HARROW9 Across: "55. Extreme craving"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: L__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
LUST10 Across: "42. 2024 film that won Best Picture"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
ANORADown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 5. Hot French beverage |
| 2 Down | 52. Comes to deserve |
| 3 Down | 24. Break off gradually |
| 4 Down | 63. Singer Lana Del ___ |
| 5 Down | 2. Bit of chemistry |
| 6 Down | 49. Fraud victim's filing |
| 7 Down | 59. Potato discards |
| 8 Down | 47. ___ Marian (English folklore heroine) |
| 9 Down | 8. Cusp |
| 10 Down | 26. Lawyer's aide, informally |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- August 12 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 24 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 27 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "5. Hot French beverage"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
THE2 Down: "52. Comes to deserve"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
EARNS3 Down: "24. Break off gradually"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: W__N
Answer:
Click to reveal
WEAN4 Down: "63. Singer Lana Del ___"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'Y'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
REY5 Down: "2. Bit of chemistry"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: A__M
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATOM6 Down: "49. Fraud victim's filing"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: C___M
Answer:
Click to reveal
CLAIM7 Down: "59. Potato discards"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
EYES8 Down: "47. ___ Marian (English folklore heroine)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: M__D
Answer:
Click to reveal
MAID9 Down: "8. Cusp"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: B___K
Answer:
Click to reveal
BRINK10 Down: "26. Lawyer's aide, informally"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: P__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
PARAHow 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 45 seconds |
| Difficulty: | A bit tricky |
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.
