NYT Mini Trivia Week 1 March 05, 2026 - Hints & 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 24 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | December 26 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | February 06 2021 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | March 05, 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 | 73. With 58-Down, "Bugonia" actress |
| 2 Across | 69. Prefix with -logue |
| 3 Across | 35. Bring shame upon |
| 4 Across | 55. Puma's pad? |
| 5 Across | 20. Boarding pass info |
| 6 Across | 42. Estrange |
| 7 Across | 66. With 68-Across, long-shot candidates ... or a hint to six squares in this puzzle |
| 8 Across | 26. Rang out |
| 9 Across | 49. Golf gimme |
| 10 Across | 6. "Baby ___" (2008 comedy) |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- May 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- April 30 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 06 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "73. With 58-Down, "Bugonia" actress"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: E__A
Answer: Click to reveal
EMMA
2 Across: "69. Prefix with -logue"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
EPI
3 Across: "35. Bring shame upon"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: D______R
Answer: Click to reveal
DISHONOR
4 Across: "55. Puma's pad?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I____E
Answer: Click to reveal
INSOLE
5 Across: "20. Boarding pass info"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'W'
- Another word like this: quarrel
Answer: Click to reveal
ROW
6 Across: "42. Estrange"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A______E
Answer: Click to reveal
ALIENATE
7 Across: "66. With 68-Across, long-shot candidates ... or a hint to six squares in this puzzle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'K'
- Word pattern: D__K
Answer: Click to reveal
DARK
8 Across: "26. Rang out"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: P____D
Answer: Click to reveal
PEALED
9 Across: "49. Golf gimme"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: T___N
Answer: Click to reveal
TAPIN
10 Across: "6. "Baby ___" (2008 comedy)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: M__A
Answer: Click to reveal
MAMA
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 56. Serve, as soup |
| 2 Down | 1. This might be ground-breaking |
| 3 Down | 50. "Deadwood" actor McShane |
| 4 Down | 8. Stuff that's slung |
| 5 Down | 58. See 73-Across |
| 6 Down | 53. Spots where pins are dropped? |
| 7 Down | 48. Leif, to Eric the Red |
| 8 Down | 5. Choreograph |
| 9 Down | 64. Enemy of Wonder Woman |
| 10 Down | 39. Org. often concerned with fund-raising |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- May 17 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Down Clues Answers September 28
- July 19 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "56. Serve, as soup"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L___E
Answer: Click to reveal
LADLE
2 Down: "1. This might be ground-breaking"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: S____L
Answer: Click to reveal
SHOVEL
3 Down: "50. "Deadwood" actor McShane"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'N'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
IAN
4 Down: "8. Stuff that's slung"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'D'
- Another word like this: mire
Answer: Click to reveal
MUD
5 Down: "58. See 73-Across"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: S___E
Answer: Click to reveal
STONE
6 Down: "53. Spots where pins are dropped?"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A____S
Answer: Click to reveal
ALLEYS
7 Down: "48. Leif, to Eric the Red"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'N'
- Another word like this: Logos
Answer: Click to reveal
SON
8 Down: "5. Choreograph"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: O_________E
Answer: Click to reveal
ORCHESTRATE
9 Down: "64. Enemy of Wonder Woman"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A__S
Answer: Click to reveal
ARES
10 Down: "39. Org. often concerned with fund-raising"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'A'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
PTA
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 58 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 1
When can I play the Trivia Week 1 Mini?
The Trivia Week 1 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 1?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 1 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 1?
No! The Trivia Week 1 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 1 solver?
Good Trivia Week 1 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 1?
Trivia Week 1 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
