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Friday, August 15, 2025

NYT Crossword ACROSS Clues Only | August 15 Horizontal Answers

NYT Crossword ACROSS Clues Only - Friday, August 15, 2025

Published: August 15, 2025 at 12:00 AM

Today's Across-Only Focus

Complete analysis of all 33 ACROSS clues from today's New York Times crossword puzzle. This across-only format helps solvers focus exclusively on horizontal entries, perfect for those who prefer to tackle one direction at a time.

Across Clues Statistics

**Statistical Overview - Across Entries Only**
Metric	Value	Details
Total Across Clues	33	All horizontal entries
Total Letters (Across)	191	Combined letter count
Average Word Length	5.8	Letters per answer
Shortest Answer	3 letters	Minimum length
Longest Answer	15 letters	Maximum length
Unique Letters Used	23	Distinct letters in across

Letter Frequency Analysis - Across Answers Only

Top 15 Most Frequent Letters in Today's Across Answers

E	25	13.09%
S	21	10.99%
A	17	8.9%
O	15	7.85%
T	14	7.33%
I	9	4.71%
N	9	4.71%
C	8	4.19%
D	8	4.19%
H	8	4.19%
L	8	4.19%
P	8	4.19%
R	8	4.19%
B	7	3.66%
M	7	3.66%

Difficulty Distribution of Across Clues

Difficulty Level	Count	Percentage
Easy	4	12.1%
Medium	20	60.6%
Hard	4	12.1%
Expert	5	15.2%

Complete List of Across Clues - All 33 Entries

**Today's Across Clues with Comprehensive Hints**
#	Clue	Length	Category	Hints & Tips	Answer
1A	1. Like the culture depicted in Safiya Sinclair's best-selling memoir "How to Say Babylon"	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: R___A (First: R, Last: A) Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: Rastafarian	Show Answer RASTA
2A	6. English translation of the Dutch "klompen"	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: C___S (First: C, Last: S) Contains 1 vowels and 4 consonants Related words: choke off, clog up	Show Answer CLOGS
3A	11. Robotic error message	14	Long Phrase	Pattern: D____________E (First: D, Last: E) Contains 6 vowels and 8 consonants Longer answer - might be a phrase	Show Answer DOESNOTCOMPUTE
4A	15. Sooner rather than later	15	Long Phrase	Pattern: I_____________E (First: I, Last: E) Contains 7 vowels and 8 consonants Longer answer - might be a phrase	Show Answer INTHENEARFUTURE
5A	17. Preps for a photo shoot, say	6	General Knowledge	Pattern: S____S (First: S, Last: S) Contains 1 vowels and 5 consonants Related words: mode, flair	Show Answer STYLES
6A	18. Rest areas	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: S__S (First: S, Last: S) Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: health spa, resort hotel	Show Answer SPAS
7A	19. Engage in pugilism	3	Short Word	Pattern: B_X (First: B, Last: X) Contains 1 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: boxful, corner	Show Answer BOX
8A	20. Rock alternative	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: P___R (First: P, Last: R) Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: newspaper, composition	Show Answer PAPER
9A	21. X, as in Mexico	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: B__O (First: B, Last: O) Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants	Show Answer BESO
10A	22. In	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: C__C (First: C, Last: C) Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: stylishness, smartness	Show Answer CHIC
11A	23. Touching event?	4	Wordplay/Pun	Pattern: E__E (First: E, Last: E) Contains 3 vowels and 1 consonants Meaning: a fencing sword similar to a foil but with a heavier blade...	Show Answer EPEE
12A	24. Forecast	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: B__E (First: B, Last: E) Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: prognosticate, portend	Show Answer BODE
13A	25. Some like it hot	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: S___E (First: S, Last: E) Contains 3 vowels and 2 consonants Meaning: flavorful relish or dressing or topping served as an accompaniment to food...	Show Answer SAUCE
14A	26. Didn't follow	3	Short Word	Pattern: L_D (First: L, Last: D) Contains 1 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: go, pass	Show Answer LED
15A	27. Itsy-bitsy	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: M__I (First: M, Last: I) Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: miniskirt	Show Answer MINI
16A	28. Like one part of the SAT	6	General Knowledge	Pattern: V____L (First: V, Last: L) Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants Opposite of: numerical	Show Answer VERBAL
17A	29. Typical yearbook photos	9	Entertainment	Pattern: H_______S (First: H, Last: S) Contains 3 vowels and 6 consonants Related words: headshot	Show Answer HEADSHOTS
18A	31. Sisal and others	6	General Knowledge	Pattern: F____S (First: F, Last: S) Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants Related words: roughage, fibre	Show Answer FIBERS
19A	34. It can add up	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: M__H (First: M, Last: H) Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: maths, mathematics	Show Answer MATH
20A	35. A real piece of work	3	Short Word	Pattern: J_B (First: J, Last: B) Contains 1 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: farm out, business	Show Answer JOB
21A	38. That feeling "when the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine"	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: A___E (First: A, Last: E) Contains 3 vowels and 2 consonants	Show Answer AMORE
22A	39. Word before piece and after peace	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: T__E (First: T, Last: E) Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: clock time, clock	Show Answer TIME
23A	40. Glazier's replacement	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: P__E (First: P, Last: E) Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: superman, pane of glass	Show Answer PANE
24A	41. Some sky lights, in brief	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: U__S (First: U, Last: S) Contains 2 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: UFO, unidentified flying object	Show Answer UFOS
25A	42. Person with fire power	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: B__S (First: B, Last: S) Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: Bos, foreman	Show Answer BOSS
26A	43. Miso soup base	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: D___I (First: D, Last: I) Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants	Show Answer DASHI
27A	44. Director's cry	3	Short Word	Pattern: C_T (First: C, Last: T) Contains 1 vowels and 2 consonants Related words: trim, cutting off	Show Answer CUT
28A	45. One of four suits in a tarot deck	4	General Knowledge	Pattern: C__S (First: C, Last: S) Contains 1 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: loving cup, cup	Show Answer CUPS
29A	46. Source of schadenfreude?	6	Wordplay/Pun	Pattern: G____N (First: G, Last: N) Contains 2 vowels and 4 consonants Related words: High German, German language	Show Answer GERMAN
30A	47. "Let me handle this"	15	Long Phrase	Pattern: I_____________G (First: I, Last: G) Contains 5 vowels and 10 consonants Longer answer - might be a phrase	Show Answer ILLDOTHETALKING
31A	50. Small businesses that generally don't require permits	14	Long Phrase	Pattern: L____________S (First: L, Last: S) Contains 5 vowels and 9 consonants Longer answer - might be a phrase	Show Answer LEMONADESTANDS
32A	51. Sensitive subject?	5	Wordplay/Pun	Pattern: G___T (First: G, Last: T) Contains 1 vowels and 4 consonants	Show Answer GSPOT
33A	52. Figure on the $10,000 bill, the largest U.S. note ever in public circulation	5	General Knowledge	Pattern: C___E (First: C, Last: E) Contains 2 vowels and 3 consonants Related words: give chase, furrow	Show Answer CHASE

Category Analysis of Across Clues

**Clue Categories Distribution**
Category	Count	Percentage	Examples
General Knowledge	21	63.6%	RASTA (5), CLOGS (5)
Long Phrase	4	12.1%	DOESNOTCOMPUTE (14), INTHENEARFUTURE (15)
Short Word	4	12.1%	BOX (3), LED (3)
Wordplay/Pun	3	9.1%	EPEE (4), GERMAN (6)
Entertainment	1	3.0%	HEADSHOTS (9)

Across-Only Solving Strategy

Why Focus on Across Clues First?

Reading Direction: Natural left-to-right reading makes across clues more intuitive
Pattern Recognition: Horizontal words are easier to visualize and recognize
Common Phrases: Many across entries are familiar phrases or compound words
Fill Strategy: Completing across entries provides multiple crossing letters for down clues
Theme Entries: Long theme answers are typically placed across

Recommended Solving Order

Step 1: Scan all across clues for obvious answers (fill-in-blanks, short words)
Step 2: Fill in 3-4 letter words - they're usually common crossword entries
Step 3: Look for themed or related answers that might connect
Step 4: Use first/last letter hints to narrow down possibilities
Step 5: Work on longer answers using crossing letters from completed short answers

Letter Frequency Insights

Based on today's across answers, focus on words containing the most frequent letters. This can help you make educated guesses when you're stuck.

Common NYT Crossword Across Words

These frequently appear in across positions:

Length	Common Words
3 Letters	ERA, ORE, ATE, ETA, ALE, AGE, ARE, ACE, APE, ART
4 Letters	AREA, ARIA, ANTE, ELSE, ERIE, IDEA, ORAL, OVER, ALOE, ASAP
5 Letters	ARENA, ALONE, ASIDE, EMAIL, ENTER, ERROR, ERASE, OPERA, OCEAN, ATONE
6 Letters	ARISES, ERASES, EASTER, ESTATE, EASIER, ORACLE, AERATE, STEREO
7+ Letters	ATLARGE, ONEARMED, ALIENATE, REARENDS, REHEARSE, SEPARATE

Sunday, August 30, 2026

NYT Mini Trivia Week 4 August 30, 2026 - Hints & Answers

Trivia Week 4 August 30, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints

Today's Mini has 20 clues to get through. Hints and answers for all of them are below.

About Today's Puzzle

NYT Mini Crossword solutions for August 30, 2026 — NYT Mini Crossword Grid - Sunday, August 30, 2026

Puzzle Statistics
Detail	Information
Date	August 30, 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 4 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout

It's a 5 by 5 grid today — five boxes across, five boxes down.

5x5 Crossword Grid Pattern
	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

Skim every clue once before you write anything — your brain keeps chewing on the ones you don't solve right away.
Knock out the short answers (3 letters or under) first.
Lean on the crossing letters once a couple of words are in.
A question mark in a clue usually means there's a pun coming.
THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT — these little words show up constantly, keep them in your back pocket.

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.

Across Clues List
Number	Clue
1 Across	26. Discount Chinese e-tailer
2 Across	64. Friar with a famous "razor"
3 Across	100. Join, as two metal surfaces
4 Across	93. Discontinued Swedish cars
5 Across	31. Pink-slips
6 Across	126. Instants
7 Across	24. LIAM NEESON
8 Across	122. Submitted by the deadline
9 Across	68. Turns on the waterworks
10 Across	124. Musician/actress Haim

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:

1 Across: "26. Discount Chinese e-tailer"

Hints:

Starts with 'T', ends with 'U'.
This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Blank it out and you get: T__U

Answer:

Click to reveal

TEMU

2 Across: "64. Friar with a famous "razor""

Hints:

You could also think of it as "Ockham."
This one runs 5 letters long.
First letter's a 'O', last letter's a 'M'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

OCCAM

3 Across: "100. Join, as two metal surfaces"

Hints:

Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'R'.
Pattern-wise it looks like: S____R
It's a 6-letter word.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SOLDER

4 Across: "93. Discontinued Swedish cars"

Hints:

Starts with 'S', ends with 'S'.
Pattern-wise it looks like: S___S
This one runs 5 letters long.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SAABS

5 Across: "31. Pink-slips"

Hints:

Short form / acronym territory here.
You could also think of it as "fire."
First letter's a 'C', last letter's a 'S'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

CANS

6 Across: "126. Instants"

Hints:

Starts with 'S', ends with 'S'.
Short form / acronym territory here.
Count on 4 letters here.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SECS

7 Across: "24. LIAM NEESON"

Hints:

This one runs 8 letters long.
First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'O'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SALMINEO

8 Across: "122. Submitted by the deadline"

Hints:

If that helps, the shape is: I______E
You're looking for 8 letters.
First letter's a 'I', last letter's a 'E'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

INONTIME

9 Across: "68. Turns on the waterworks"

Hints:

Think of it this way — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition.
Count on 5 letters here.
Pattern-wise it looks like: C___S

Answer:

Click to reveal

CRIES

10 Across: "124. Musician/actress Haim"

Hints:

Pattern-wise it looks like: A___A
Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'A'.
This one runs 5 letters long.

Answer:

Click to reveal

ALANA

Down Clues - 10 Total

These run top to bottom in the grid.

Down Clues List
Number	Clue
1 Down	67. Christmas presence?
2 Down	95. Withdraw from a union
3 Down	23. Mineral that makes cosmetics shimmer
4 Down	29. Clear
5 Down	6. Like 666, popularly
6 Down	94. Periods of 730 days
7 Down	1. God, to Bob Marley
8 Down	32. Hit a ___
9 Down	58. Diva's time to shine
10 Down	86. Hostile manner, informally

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:

1 Down: "67. Christmas presence?"

Hints:

Short form / acronym territory here.
Blank it out and you get: M__I
Close enough in meaning: magus.

Answer:

Click to reveal

MAGI

2 Down: "95. Withdraw from a union"

Hints:

First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'E'.
Pattern-wise it looks like: S____E
Basically, withdraw from an organization or communion.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SECEDE

3 Down: "23. Mineral that makes cosmetics shimmer"

Hints:

Blank it out and you get: M__A
You're looking for 4 letters.
Kicks off with 'M' and wraps up with 'A'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

MICA

4 Down: "29. Clear"

Hints:

Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'E'.
It's a 5-letter word.
If that helps, the shape is: E___E

Answer:

Click to reveal

ERASE

5 Down: "6. Like 666, popularly"

Hints:

It's a 7-letter word.
You could also think of it as "demonic."
Starts with 'S', ends with 'C'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SATANIC

6 Down: "94. Periods of 730 days"

Hints:

Kicks off with 'B' and wraps up with 'A'.
Count on 7 letters here.
Pattern-wise it looks like: B_____A

Answer:

Click to reveal

BIENNIA

7 Down: "1. God, to Bob Marley"

Hints:

This one runs 3 letters long.
First letter's a 'J', last letter's a 'H'.
Short form / acronym territory here.

Answer:

Click to reveal

JAH

8 Down: "32. Hit a ___"

Hints:

Pattern-wise it looks like: S__G
It's a 4-letter word.
Close enough in meaning: hang-up.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SNAG

9 Down: "58. Diva's time to shine"

Hints:

Think of it this way — an elaborate song for solo voice.
You're looking for 4 letters.
First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'A'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

ARIA

10 Down: "86. Hostile manner, informally"

Hints:

Short form / acronym territory here.
Starts with 'T', ends with 'E'.
This one runs 4 letters long.

Answer:

Click to reveal

TUDE

How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster

A few things that actually help once you've been doing these a while:

Step-by-Step Strategy

Scan before you solve: One quick read-through of all the clues before you commit to anything usually pays off.
Short words first: The 2-3 letter answers are almost always the low-hanging fruit.
Let crossings guide you: Harder answers get much easier once a couple of crossing letters are locked in.
Puns hide behind question marks: If a clue ends in "?", expect wordplay, not a straight answer.
A few words repeat a lot: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE show up more than you'd expect — keep them in mind.

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

Today's Puzzle by the Numbers
Total Clues:	20
Grid Size:	5 boxes across, 5 boxes down
Total Squares:	25
Average Time:	45 seconds
Difficulty:	Normal

Common Questions About Trivia Week 4

When does the Trivia Week 4 Mini go live?

It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.

How long should Trivia Week 4 take me?

Most people land somewhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Slower than that is completely normal too — it gets faster with practice.

Is Trivia Week 4 free to play?

It's free to play, unlike the main NYT Crossword which sits behind a paywall.

What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 4?

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 4 get harder as the week goes on?

It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.

Saturday, August 29, 2026

NYT Mini Trivia Week 4 August 29, 2026 - Hints & Answers

NYT Mini Puzzle Trivia Week 4 August 29, 2026 - Solved

Today's Mini has 20 clues to get through. Hints and answers for all of them are below.

About Today's Puzzle

NYT Mini Crossword solutions for August 29, 2026 — NYT Mini Crossword Grid - Saturday, August 29, 2026

Puzzle Statistics
Detail	Information
Date	August 29, 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 4 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout

It's a 5 by 5 grid today — five boxes across, five boxes down.

5x5 Crossword Grid Pattern
	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

Squares in the grid: 25
How long it takes: usually under a minute once you're warmed up
Best moment for it: any short break
Overall difficulty: easy-going by design

Across Clues - 10 Total

These run left to right across the grid.

Across Clues List
Number	Clue
1 Across	14. Skin-care brand known for its pore strips
2 Across	20. Work, as a joke
3 Across	47. "It is not easy for a ___ to balance himself on a ladder": "Animal Farm"
4 Across	49. Relative of house music
5 Across	37. Court session, perhaps
6 Across	1. Main characters for an early reader
7 Across	23. His #33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003
8 Across	51. Inverse of an exponential function
9 Across	58. Come off as
10 Across	42. Put your back into it

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:

1 Across: "14. Skin-care brand known for its pore strips"

Hints:

Count on 5 letters here.
Kicks off with 'B' and wraps up with 'E'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

BIORE

2 Across: "20. Work, as a joke"

Hints:

Close enough in meaning: bring.
Basically, the land on which real estate is located.
If that helps, the shape is: L__D

Answer:

Click to reveal

LAND

3 Across: "47. "It is not easy for a ___ to balance himself on a ladder": "Animal Farm""

Hints:

This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Basically, domestic swine.
'cop' points in the same direction.

Answer:

Click to reveal

PIG

4 Across: "49. Relative of house music"

Hints:

Kicks off with 'T' and wraps up with 'O'.
Count on 6 letters here.

Answer:

Click to reveal

TECHNO

5 Across: "37. Court session, perhaps"

Hints:

Pattern-wise it looks like: T__________N
You're looking for 12 letters.
First letter's a 'T', last letter's a 'N'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

TENNISLESSON

6 Across: "1. Main characters for an early reader"

Hints:

It's a 4-letter word.
Blank it out and you get: A__S
First letter's a 'A', last letter's a 'S'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

ABCS

7 Across: "23. His #33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003"

Hints:

It's a 5-letter word.
Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'G'.
If that helps, the shape is: E___G

Answer:

Click to reveal

EWING

8 Across: "51. Inverse of an exponential function"

Hints:

If that helps, the shape is: L_______M
Starts with 'L', ends with 'M'.
'log' points in the same direction.

Answer:

Click to reveal

LOGARITHM

9 Across: "58. Come off as"

Hints:

Close enough in meaning: look.
This one runs 4 letters long.
This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SEEM

10 Across: "42. Put your back into it"

Hints:

This one runs 3 letters long.
Kicks off with 'T' and wraps up with 'Y'.
Short form / acronym territory here.

Answer:

Click to reveal

TRY

Down Clues - 10 Total

These run top to bottom in the grid.

Down Clues List
Number	Clue
1 Down	24. August ___, "Fences" playwright
2 Down	9. ___ legs
3 Down	19. Stocked and sold, as goods
4 Down	1. Nonhuman provider of medical advice
5 Down	45. Shockingly unconventional
6 Down	25. Makes sense of
7 Down	36. "Wow ... what are the chances?!"
8 Down	13. Green day star, for short
9 Down	6. Breaking character?
10 Down	46. Stepped-on instrument

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:

1 Down: "24. August ___, "Fences" playwright"

Hints:

Starts with 'W', ends with 'N'.
If that helps, the shape is: W____N
This one runs 6 letters long.

Answer:

Click to reveal

WILSON

2 Down: "9. ___ legs"

Hints:

Short form / acronym territory here.
'hinder' points in the same direction.
First letter's a 'H', last letter's a 'D'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

HIND

3 Down: "19. Stocked and sold, as goods"

Hints:

Kicks off with 'D' and wraps up with 'N'.
Pattern-wise it looks like: D_____N
It's a 7-letter word.

Answer:

Click to reveal

DEALTIN

4 Down: "1. Nonhuman provider of medical advice"

Hints:

Starts with 'A', ends with 'R'.
It's a 8-letter word.

Answer:

Click to reveal

AIDOCTOR

5 Down: "45. Shockingly unconventional"

Hints:

First letter's a 'O', last letter's a 'E'.
Close enough in meaning: freaky.
Count on 5 letters here.

Answer:

Click to reveal

OUTRE

6 Down: "25. Makes sense of"

Hints:

Count on 6 letters here.
Pattern-wise it looks like: P____S
Starts with 'P', ends with 'S'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

PARSES

7 Down: "36. "Wow ... what are the chances?!""

Hints:

Pattern-wise it looks like: S______M
This one runs 8 letters long.
Kicks off with 'S' and wraps up with 'M'.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SORANDOM

8 Down: "13. Green day star, for short"

Hints:

Starts with 'S', ends with 'T'.
You're looking for 5 letters.

Answer:

Click to reveal

STPAT

9 Down: "6. Breaking character?"

Hints:

First letter's a 'B', last letter's a 'P'.
Count on 16 letters here.

Answer:

Click to reveal

BULLINACHINASHOP

10 Down: "46. Stepped-on instrument"

Hints:

Starts with 'S', ends with 'E'.
Count on 5 letters here.
Close enough in meaning: shell.

Answer:

Click to reveal

SCALE

How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster

A few things that actually help once you've been doing these a while:

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

Today's Puzzle by the Numbers
Total Clues:	20
Grid Size:	5 boxes across, 5 boxes down
Total Squares:	25
Average Time:	1 minute 10 seconds
Difficulty:	A bit tricky

Common Questions About Trivia Week 4

When does the Trivia Week 4 Mini go live?

It usually goes live around 10 PM Eastern the night before.

How long should Trivia Week 4 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 4 free to play?

Nope, it's free — no subscription needed like the full-size crossword.

What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 4?

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 4 get harder as the week goes on?

It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.

Search Clues

Friday, August 15, 2025

NYT Crossword ACROSS Clues Only | August 15 Horizontal Answers

Today's Across-Only Focus

Across Clues Statistics

Letter Frequency Analysis - Across Answers Only

Difficulty Distribution of Across Clues

Complete List of Across Clues - All 33 Entries

Category Analysis of Across Clues

Across-Only Solving Strategy

Why Focus on Across Clues First?

Recommended Solving Order

Letter Frequency Insights

Common NYT Crossword Across Words

Sunday, August 30, 2026

NYT Mini Trivia Week 4 August 30, 2026 - Hints & Answers

About Today's Puzzle

Today's Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout

How to Solve This One Fast

Quick Facts

Across Clues - 10 Total

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

1 Across: "26. Discount Chinese e-tailer"

2 Across: "64. Friar with a famous "razor""

3 Across: "100. Join, as two metal surfaces"

4 Across: "93. Discontinued Swedish cars"

5 Across: "31. Pink-slips"

6 Across: "126. Instants"

7 Across: "24. LIAM NEESON"

8 Across: "122. Submitted by the deadline"

9 Across: "68. Turns on the waterworks"

10 Across: "124. Musician/actress Haim"

Down Clues - 10 Total

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

1 Down: "67. Christmas presence?"

2 Down: "95. Withdraw from a union"

3 Down: "23. Mineral that makes cosmetics shimmer"

4 Down: "29. Clear"

5 Down: "6. Like 666, popularly"

6 Down: "94. Periods of 730 days"

7 Down: "1. God, to Bob Marley"

8 Down: "32. Hit a ___"

9 Down: "58. Diva's time to shine"

10 Down: "86. Hostile manner, informally"

How to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster

Step-by-Step Strategy

Letter Tips That Really Help

Time Goals to Aim For

Puzzle Numbers and Facts

More Puzzle Help

Common Questions About Trivia Week 4

When does the Trivia Week 4 Mini go live?

How long should Trivia Week 4 take me?

Is Trivia Week 4 free to play?

What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 4?

Does Trivia Week 4 get harder as the week goes on?

Saturday, August 29, 2026

NYT Mini Trivia Week 4 August 29, 2026 - Hints & Answers

About Today's Puzzle

Today's Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout

How to Solve This One Fast

Quick Facts

Across Clues - 10 Total

Hints and Answers for Across Clues

1 Across: "14. Skin-care brand known for its pore strips"

2 Across: "20. Work, as a joke"

3 Across: "47. "It is not easy for a ___ to balance himself on a ladder": "Animal Farm""

4 Across: "49. Relative of house music"

5 Across: "37. Court session, perhaps"

6 Across: "1. Main characters for an early reader"

7 Across: "23. His #33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003"

8 Across: "51. Inverse of an exponential function"

9 Across: "58. Come off as"

10 Across: "42. Put your back into it"

Down Clues - 10 Total

Hints and Answers for Down Clues

1 Down: "24. August ___, "Fences" playwright"

2 Down: "9. ___ legs"

3 Down: "19. Stocked and sold, as goods"

4 Down: "1. Nonhuman provider of medical advice"