Today's Trivia Week 1 NYT Mini Crossword April 02, 2026 Answers
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: April 15 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | February 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | April 14 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | April 02, 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 | 46. One side in a "Holy War" rivalry in college football |
| 2 Across | 6. Dish often topped with lime and cilantro |
| 3 Across | 28. Bungee jumping requirement |
| 4 Across | 35. One cause of deterioration |
| 5 Across | 67. Ernie who has won the British Open twice |
| 6 Across | 60. Facial wrinkles ... or what's present in 16-, 22-, 36- and 50-Across? |
| 7 Across | 30. Egg carton? |
| 8 Across | 14. Team behind the cameras |
| 9 Across | 48. Player on the bench? |
| 10 Across | 15. Actor Epps of "House" |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- February 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 05 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 26 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "46. One side in a "Holy War" rivalry in college football"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: U__S
Answer: Click to reveal
UTES
2 Across: "6. Dish often topped with lime and cilantro"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
PHO
3 Across: "28. Bungee jumping requirement"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: C__D
Answer: Click to reveal
CORD
4 Across: "35. One cause of deterioration"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: utilize
Answer: Click to reveal
USE
5 Across: "67. Ernie who has won the British Open twice"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: el
Answer: Click to reveal
ELS
6 Across: "60. Facial wrinkles ... or what's present in 16-, 22-, 36- and 50-Across?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: L________S
Answer: Click to reveal
LAUGHLINES
7 Across: "30. Egg carton?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'C'
- Another word like this: sack
Answer: Click to reveal
SAC
8 Across: "14. Team behind the cameras"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: C__W
Answer: Click to reveal
CREW
9 Across: "48. Player on the bench?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: P_____T
Answer: Click to reveal
PIANIST
10 Across: "15. Actor Epps of "House""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: O__R
Answer: Click to reveal
OMAR
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 48. Bess's beau on Broadway |
| 2 Down | 2. Until |
| 3 Down | 50. Pitched |
| 4 Down | 53. Followers of articles |
| 5 Down | 39. Create a PDF of, maybe |
| 6 Down | 27. The first letter in this gas brand's logo resembles a backward 3 |
| 7 Down | 5. Shop item with teeth |
| 8 Down | 9. Some kicks on Route 66, maybe |
| 9 Down | 52. Instrument once known as a "toy trumpet" |
| 10 Down | 26. Extend a tour of duty |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- August 03 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 08 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 14 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "48. Bess's beau on Broadway"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: P___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
PORGY
2 Down: "2. Until"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: U__O
Answer: Click to reveal
UPTO
3 Down: "50. Pitched"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'W'
- Word pattern: T___W
Answer: Click to reveal
THREW
4 Down: "53. Followers of articles"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: N___S
Answer: Click to reveal
NOUNS
5 Down: "39. Create a PDF of, maybe"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S__N
Answer: Click to reveal
SCAN
6 Down: "27. The first letter in this gas brand's logo resembles a backward 3"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: E__O
Answer: Click to reveal
ESSO
7 Down: "5. Shop item with teeth"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'W'
- Another word like this: proverb
Answer: Click to reveal
SAW
8 Down: "9. Some kicks on Route 66, maybe"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: J_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
JOYRIDE
9 Down: "52. Instrument once known as a "toy trumpet""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: K___O
Answer: Click to reveal
KAZOO
10 Down: "26. Extend a tour of duty"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: R__P
Answer: Click to reveal
REUP
How 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 1 minute 3 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 1
When can I play the Trivia Week 1 Mini?
The Trivia Week 1 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 1?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 1 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 1?
No! The Trivia Week 1 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 1 solver?
Good Trivia Week 1 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 1?
Trivia Week 1 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
