Today's Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini Crossword April 16, 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: June 21 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | October 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | May 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | April 16, 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 | 25. "Midsommar" director Aster |
| 2 Across | 62. Abbr. seen before a person's name |
| 3 Across | 63. With 65-Across, with extreme precision ... or a hint to reading 15 of this puzzle's answers |
| 4 Across | 16. Performer known for her runs |
| 5 Across | 55. Joel's smuggling partner on "The Last of Us" |
| 6 Across | 31. Risks it |
| 7 Across | 61. Number of Super Bowl rings for Tom Brady |
| 8 Across | 59. Tzatziki scooper |
| 9 Across | 51. Home security co. |
| 10 Across | 57. Bouquet |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- July 29 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "25. "Midsommar" director Aster"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARI2 Across: "62. Abbr. seen before a person's name"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: A__N
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATTN3 Across: "63. With 65-Across, with extreme precision ... or a hint to reading 15 of this puzzle's answers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: D__N
Answer:
Click to reveal
DOWN4 Across: "16. Performer known for her runs"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: P_____A
Answer:
Click to reveal
POPDIVA5 Across: "55. Joel's smuggling partner on "The Last of Us""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
TESS6 Across: "31. Risks it"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: D___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
DARES7 Across: "61. Number of Super Bowl rings for Tom Brady"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: S___N
Answer:
Click to reveal
SEVEN8 Across: "59. Tzatziki scooper"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: P__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
PITA9 Across: "51. Home security co."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'P'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ADP10 Across: "57. Bouquet"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
AROMADown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 27. Kid who might get grounded |
| 2 Down | 10. Negation word in French |
| 3 Down | 3. Like a lake on a breezy day |
| 4 Down | 32. Something a reality show lacks |
| 5 Down | 5. Question from someone seeking reassurance |
| 6 Down | 15. Source of a deal with The Devil? |
| 7 Down | 2. Fields medalist Terence |
| 8 Down | 6. "Finally!" |
| 9 Down | 23. "Yeah, nice try" |
| 10 Down | 20. Sham |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- June 21 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- All NYT Across Clues December 12 2025
1 Down: "27. Kid who might get grounded"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: B__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
BRAT2 Down: "10. Negation word in French"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: pop
Answer:
Click to reveal
PAS3 Down: "3. Like a lake on a breezy day"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: R______G
Answer:
Click to reveal
RIPPLING4 Down: "32. Something a reality show lacks"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S____T
Answer:
Click to reveal
SCRIPT5 Down: "5. Question from someone seeking reassurance"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A____T
Answer:
Click to reveal
AMINOT6 Down: "15. Source of a deal with The Devil?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: T___T
Answer:
Click to reveal
TAROT7 Down: "2. Fields medalist Terence"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'O'
- Another word like this: Taoist
Answer:
Click to reveal
TAO8 Down: "6. "Finally!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A____T
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATLAST9 Down: "23. "Yeah, nice try""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: U__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
UMNO10 Down: "20. Sham"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: F__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
FAKEHow 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 10 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.
