Quick NYT Mini Crossword April 08, 2026 (Trivia Week 2) - Solutions
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: Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 28 | Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 29 | May 25 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | April 08, 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. Goal |
| 2 Across | 1. "I'm afraid not," quaintly |
| 3 Across | 49. Chant heard at the start of "Hot Hot Hot" |
| 4 Across | 60. Volunteer's offer |
| 5 Across | 31. Tagging symbols |
| 6 Across | 34. Perry of pop |
| 7 Across | 46. Hindi for "rule" |
| 8 Across | 61. Hits hard |
| 9 Across | 32. ___-Magnon |
| 10 Across | 62. Respond, as a pupil might |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- Tuesday NYT Mini Crossword Answers
- December 12 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 29
1 Across: "28. Goal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'M'
- Another word like this: purpose
Answer:
Click to reveal
AIM2 Across: "1. "I'm afraid not," quaintly"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A____O
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALASNO3 Across: "49. Chant heard at the start of "Hot Hot Hot""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
OLEOLE4 Across: "60. Volunteer's offer"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: I__N
Answer:
Click to reveal
ICAN5 Across: "31. Tagging symbols"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Another word like this: At
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATS6 Across: "34. Perry of pop"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: K__Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
KATY7 Across: "46. Hindi for "rule""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'J'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAJ8 Across: "61. Hits hard"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: R__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAMS9 Across: "32. ___-Magnon"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'O'
- Another word like this: scope
Answer:
Click to reveal
CRO10 Across: "62. Respond, as a pupil might"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: D____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
DILATEDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 44. Comment |
| 2 Down | 7. Author's representative |
| 3 Down | 59. Lower, as lights |
| 4 Down | 3. Enhancing accessories |
| 5 Down | 19. Good gardening soil |
| 6 Down | 55. One acting rather quiet? |
| 7 Down | 45. Make ___ (earn vast sums) |
| 8 Down | 46. Unit of angular measurement |
| 9 Down | 47. Like |
| 10 Down | 23. Traditional samurai hairstyles |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Tuesday NYT Mini Crossword Answers
- Down Clues NYT December 04 2025 Todays
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 18
1 Down: "44. Comment"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: R____K
Answer:
Click to reveal
REMARK2 Down: "7. Author's representative"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A___T
Answer:
Click to reveal
AGENT3 Down: "59. Lower, as lights"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'M'
- Another word like this: slur
Answer:
Click to reveal
DIM4 Down: "3. Enhancing accessories"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ADDONS5 Down: "19. Good gardening soil"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: L__M
Answer:
Click to reveal
LOAM6 Down: "55. One acting rather quiet?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: M__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
MIME7 Down: "45. Make ___ (earn vast sums)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: B__K
Answer:
Click to reveal
BANK8 Down: "46. Unit of angular measurement"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R____N
Answer:
Click to reveal
RADIAN9 Down: "47. Like"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: A____O
Answer:
Click to reveal
AKINTO10 Down: "23. Traditional samurai hairstyles"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T______S
Answer:
Click to reveal
TOPKNOTSHow 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 52 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.
