Today's Trivia Week 2 NYT Mini Crossword February 12, 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: All NYT Down Clues October 22 2025 33 | Todays NYT Crossword Across Clues_22 | May 13 2020 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | February 12, 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 | 63. Ceramics component |
| 2 Across | 66. Some spa treatments |
| 3 Across | 22. Alternatively ... !!! |
| 4 Across | 16. Kitchen gadget brand |
| 5 Across | 42. Wraps up |
| 6 Across | 26. Take out, in a way |
| 7 Across | 1. *Succeed |
| 8 Across | 15. Sapa ___ ("the only emperor" in Quechua) |
| 9 Across | 47. Lightweight fabric for a handkerchief |
| 10 Across | 31. Off-road ride, for short |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- January 16 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Crossword December 11 2025
- August 23 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "63. Ceramics component"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S____A
Answer: Click to reveal
SILICA
2 Across: "66. Some spa treatments"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: M___S
Answer: Click to reveal
MASKS
3 Across: "22. Alternatively ... !!!"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ORELSE
4 Across: "16. Kitchen gadget brand"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
OXO
5 Across: "42. Wraps up"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E__S
Answer: Click to reveal
ENDS
6 Across: "26. Take out, in a way"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Another word like this: attend
Answer: Click to reveal
SEE
7 Across: "1. *Succeed"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: D____L
Answer: Click to reveal
DOWELL
8 Across: "15. Sapa ___ ("the only emperor" in Quechua)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: I__A
Answer: Click to reveal
INCA
9 Across: "47. Lightweight fabric for a handkerchief"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: B_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
BATISTE
10 Across: "31. Off-road ride, for short"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'V'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ATV
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 5. *Behind in payment |
| 2 Down | 27. Square |
| 3 Down | 55. Words of affirmation |
| 4 Down | 12. Us, in Spanish |
| 5 Down | 4. Directory name |
| 6 Down | 51. Sounds from un estadio |
| 7 Down | 56. Resting place for a boa |
| 8 Down | 31. Speak extemporaneously |
| 9 Down | 2. 7-Eleven competitor on the East Coast |
| 10 Down | 59. Hair raiser? |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- October 28 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 11 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Todays NYT Crossword Across Clues_22
1 Down: "5. *Behind in payment"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L__E
Answer: Click to reveal
LATE
2 Down: "27. Square"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 10 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: E________N
Answer: Click to reveal
EVENSTEVEN
3 Down: "55. Words of affirmation"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I__S
Answer: Click to reveal
ITIS
4 Down: "12. Us, in Spanish"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: no
Answer: Click to reveal
NOS
5 Down: "4. Directory name"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L____E
Answer: Click to reveal
LISTEE
6 Down: "51. Sounds from un estadio"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: O__S
Answer: Click to reveal
OLES
7 Down: "56. Resting place for a boa"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: N__K
Answer: Click to reveal
NECK
8 Down: "31. Speak extemporaneously"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'B'
- Word pattern: A___B
Answer: Click to reveal
ADLIB
9 Down: "2. 7-Eleven competitor on the East Coast"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: W__A
Answer: Click to reveal
WAWA
10 Down: "59. Hair raiser?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'G' and ends with 'L'
- Another word like this: gelatin
Answer: Click to reveal
GEL
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 45 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
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.
