NYT Mini Puzzle Trivia Week 2 September 14, 2026 - Solved
Here's today's NYT Mini — 20 clues in total, and we've got hints plus answers for every one of them.
Popular Puzzles: July 17 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | May 02 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | July 10 2019 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | September 14, 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
It's a 5 by 5 grid today — five boxes across, five 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 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 | 9. Big noisy fight |
| 2 Across | 48. Mallorca or Menorca, por ejemplo |
| 3 Across | 15. Little flying pest |
| 4 Across | 57. Singer/actress Rita ___ |
| 5 Across | 35. "Absolutely, amigo!" |
| 6 Across | 50. Place for a piercing or a plug |
| 7 Across | 30. Latina toon explorer |
| 8 Across | 33. Pinocchio's are easily exposed |
| 9 Across | 67. "Never Have I ___" (sleepover game) |
| 10 Across | 21. Stately tree |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- February 11 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 03 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 17 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "9. Big noisy fight"
Hints:
- Count on 5 letters here.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: M___E
- First letter's a 'M', last letter's a 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MELEE2 Across: "48. Mallorca or Menorca, por ejemplo"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: I__A
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ISLA3 Across: "15. Little flying pest"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'G' and wraps up with 'T'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
GNAT4 Across: "57. Singer/actress Rita ___"
Hints:
- Basically, a mouth or mouthlike opening.
- You could also think of it as "osmium."
- This one runs 3 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ORA5 Across: "35. "Absolutely, amigo!""
Hints:
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'I'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: S__I
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SISI6 Across: "50. Place for a piercing or a plug"
Hints:
- In plain terms: the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'R'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EAR7 Across: "30. Latina toon explorer"
Hints:
- Pattern-wise it looks like: D__A
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'A'.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DORA8 Across: "33. Pinocchio's are easily exposed"
Hints:
- 'dwell' points in the same direction.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: L__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
LIES9 Across: "67. "Never Have I ___" (sleepover game)"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — at any time.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Blank it out and you get: E__R
Answer:
Click to reveal
EVER10 Across: "21. Stately tree"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'M'.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELMDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 60. TV medical drama settings, in brief |
| 2 Down | 62. Things traveling through fallopian tubes |
| 3 Down | 51. Animal that sleeps upside down |
| 4 Down | 63. Previously unseen |
| 5 Down | 10. Youngest of the Gabor sisters |
| 6 Down | 52. Certain art print, informally |
| 7 Down | 2. Prefix with friendly or warrior |
| 8 Down | 25. Out of place |
| 9 Down | 47. To be, in Barcelona |
| 10 Down | 31. Clears (of) |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- January 13 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 02 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Todays 55 NYT Mini November 02 2025
1 Down: "60. TV medical drama settings, in brief"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: erbium.
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'S'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERS2 Down: "62. Things traveling through fallopian tubes"
Hints:
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Count on 3 letters here.
- First letter's a 'O', last letter's a 'A'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OVA3 Down: "51. Animal that sleeps upside down"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — a disinclination to work or exert yourself.
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'H'.
- This one runs 5 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SLOTH4 Down: "63. Previously unseen"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'N' and wraps up with 'W'.
- 'raw' points in the same direction.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NEW5 Down: "10. Youngest of the Gabor sisters"
Hints:
- This one runs 3 letters long.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Starts with 'E', ends with 'A'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EVA6 Down: "52. Certain art print, informally"
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- First letter's a 'L', last letter's a 'O'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LITHO7 Down: "2. Prefix with friendly or warrior"
Hints:
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'O'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ECO8 Down: "25. Out of place"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'S'.
- 'haywire' points in the same direction.
- If that helps, the shape is: A___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
AMISS9 Down: "47. To be, in Barcelona"
Hints:
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'R'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SER10 Down: "31. Clears (of)"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: R__S
- Close enough in meaning: rid.
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RIDSHow 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: | A bit tricky |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 2
When does the Trivia Week 2 Mini go live?
It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.
How long should Trivia Week 2 take me?
Anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes is typical. Don't stress if you're on the slower end at first.
Is Trivia Week 2 free to play?
Nope, it's free — no subscription needed like the full-size crossword.
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.