Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini January 21, 2026 Solutions & Guide
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: All NYT Down Clues November 01 2025 36 | December 01 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | July 13 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 21, 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 | 19. Like those local to Universal Studios Japan |
| 2 Across | 41. Treatment for a sprained ankle |
| 3 Across | 37. Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way |
| 4 Across | 22. Like the study of the kabbalah |
| 5 Across | 55. Govt. org. in "Alias" |
| 6 Across | 38. Recycling container |
| 7 Across | 36. Complete disrepair |
| 8 Across | 18. In need of a massage, say |
| 9 Across | 7. What arms might do on a final gym rep |
| 10 Across | 46. Classic P.O.W. movie starring Steve McQueen, with "The" |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- September 07 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- October 29 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 25 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "19. Like those local to Universal Studios Japan"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: O____N
Answer: Click to reveal
OSAKAN
2 Across: "41. Treatment for a sprained ankle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: trash
Answer: Click to reveal
ICE
3 Across: "37. Says ___ to his neighbor, then heads on his way"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: N___O
Answer: Click to reveal
NIHAO
4 Across: "22. Like the study of the kabbalah"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: E______C
Answer: Click to reveal
ESOTERIC
5 Across: "55. Govt. org. in "Alias""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
CIA
6 Across: "38. Recycling container"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: binful
Answer: Click to reveal
BIN
7 Across: "36. Complete disrepair"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R__N
Answer: Click to reveal
RUIN
8 Across: "18. In need of a massage, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S__E
Answer: Click to reveal
SORE
9 Across: "7. What arms might do on a final gym rep"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: T_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
TREMBLE
10 Across: "46. Classic P.O.W. movie starring Steve McQueen, with "The""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: G_________E
Answer: Click to reveal
GREATESCAPE
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 53. Feudal lord |
| 2 Down | 31. Let float, as a currency |
| 3 Down | 2. Some pullover shirts |
| 4 Down | 64. The Three Kingdoms in Chinese history, e.g. |
| 5 Down | 17. Life across the ___ is much the same |
| 6 Down | 6. Gentlemen, in Granada |
| 7 Down | 23. These: Sp. |
| 8 Down | 12. British title |
| 9 Down | 39. Warm and cozy |
| 10 Down | 62. Steely Dan album whose name is pronounced "Asia" |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- November 16 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 10 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- September 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "53. Feudal lord"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L___E
Answer: Click to reveal
LIEGE
2 Down: "31. Let float, as a currency"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: U___G
Answer: Click to reveal
UNPEG
3 Down: "2. Some pullover shirts"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: P___S
Answer: Click to reveal
POLOS
4 Down: "64. The Three Kingdoms in Chinese history, e.g."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Another word like this: epoch
Answer: Click to reveal
ERA
5 Down: "17. Life across the ___ is much the same"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 12 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: P__________N
Answer: Click to reveal
PACIFICOCEAN
6 Down: "6. Gentlemen, in Granada"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S_____S
Answer: Click to reveal
SENORES
7 Down: "23. These: Sp."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E___S
Answer: Click to reveal
ESTOS
8 Down: "12. British title"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: L__Y
Answer: Click to reveal
LADY
9 Down: "39. Warm and cozy"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: H___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
HOMEY
10 Down: "62. Steely Dan album whose name is pronounced "Asia""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
AJA
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: | Easy |
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.
