NYT Mini Trivia Week 2 January 13, 2026 - Hints & 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: October 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | February 20 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | March 17 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 13, 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 | 28. Mystique |
| 2 Across | 66. Sponsored posts, e.g. |
| 3 Across | 15. Boardroom V.I.P. |
| 4 Across | 17. "Heyo!" |
| 5 Across | 39. Key not found on a Mac |
| 6 Across | 41. Kiss or Heart |
| 7 Across | 19. Hospital worker tending to newborns |
| 8 Across | 62. "Caution: Wet ___" |
| 9 Across | 23. Pendulum's path |
| 10 Across | 1. Fall behind |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- September 27 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 09 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "28. Mystique"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A__A
Answer: Click to reveal
AURA
2 Across: "66. Sponsored posts, e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: ad
Answer: Click to reveal
ADS
3 Across: "15. Boardroom V.I.P."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: E__C
Answer: Click to reveal
EXEC
4 Across: "17. "Heyo!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: H___A
Answer: Click to reveal
HOLLA
5 Across: "39. Key not found on a Mac"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: EL
Answer: Click to reveal
ALT
6 Across: "41. Kiss or Heart"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: B__D
Answer: Click to reveal
BAND
7 Across: "19. Hospital worker tending to newborns"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 13 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: N___________E
Answer: Click to reveal
NEONATALNURSE
8 Across: "62. "Caution: Wet ___""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: P___T
Answer: Click to reveal
PAINT
9 Across: "23. Pendulum's path"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'C'
- Another word like this: curve
Answer: Click to reveal
ARC
10 Across: "1. Fall behind"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'G'
- Another word like this: gaol
Answer: Click to reveal
LAG
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 31. Exam for a future doc |
| 2 Down | 25. Like Peruvian pyramids |
| 3 Down | 50. Ambitious and high-energy, say |
| 4 Down | 9. Yogi, once |
| 5 Down | 30. Skirt style introduced by Christian Dior |
| 6 Down | 34. Skilled |
| 7 Down | 53. What a surfer might ride |
| 8 Down | 52. Many men on dating shows |
| 9 Down | 8. Yogi's pose |
| 10 Down | 48. Spills (over) |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- NYT Mini Today September 29 2025
- August 26 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "31. Exam for a future doc"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: M__T
Answer: Click to reveal
MCAT
2 Down: "25. Like Peruvian pyramids"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I___N
Answer: Click to reveal
INCAN
3 Down: "50. Ambitious and high-energy, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: T___A
Answer: Click to reveal
TYPEA
4 Down: "9. Yogi, once"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: B_____B
Answer: Click to reveal
BEARCUB
5 Down: "30. Skirt style introduced by Christian Dior"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A___E
Answer: Click to reveal
ALINE
6 Down: "34. Skilled"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A___T
Answer: Click to reveal
ADEPT
7 Down: "53. What a surfer might ride"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: W__E
Answer: Click to reveal
WAVE
8 Down: "52. Many men on dating shows"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: H___S
Answer: Click to reveal
HUNKS
9 Down: "8. Yogi's pose"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
Answer: Click to reveal
ASANA
10 Down: "48. Spills (over)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S___S
Answer: Click to reveal
SLOPS
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 58 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
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.
