NYT Mini Trivia Week 1 April 06, 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: October 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | May 28 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | Todays 55 NYT Mini September 22 2025 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | April 06, 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 | 34. Exclamation of faux innocence |
| 2 Across | 61. "___ truly ..." |
| 3 Across | 67. Prerogative of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council |
| 4 Across | 17. Gotham City SOS |
| 5 Across | 28. Dissension cause, in Greek myth |
| 6 Across | 15. Up the ___ (raise the stakes) |
| 7 Across | 57. "Freddie Mercury" or "Lady Gaga" |
| 8 Across | 53. Industrious little insect |
| 9 Across | 35. One of 88 on a piano |
| 10 Across | 1. Sound at the beginning and end of a meditation, perhaps |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- April 07 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- February 09 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- July 04 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "34. Exclamation of faux innocence"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'I'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
MOI
2 Across: "61. "___ truly ...""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: Y___S
Answer: Click to reveal
YOURS
3 Across: "67. Prerogative of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'V' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: V__O
Answer: Click to reveal
VETO
4 Across: "17. Gotham City SOS"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: B_______L
Answer: Click to reveal
BATSIGNAL
5 Across: "28. Dissension cause, in Greek myth"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 14 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: A____________D
Answer: Click to reveal
APPLEOFDISCORD
6 Across: "15. Up the ___ (raise the stakes)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: A__E
Answer: Click to reveal
ANTE
7 Across: "57. "Freddie Mercury" or "Lady Gaga""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: A___S
Answer: Click to reveal
ALIAS
8 Across: "53. Industrious little insect"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Another word like this: emmet
Answer: Click to reveal
ANT
9 Across: "35. One of 88 on a piano"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'Y'
- Another word like this: key out
Answer: Click to reveal
KEY
10 Across: "1. Sound at the beginning and end of a meditation, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: B__G
Answer: Click to reveal
BONG
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 28. It's flicked from a cigarette |
| 2 Down | 62. Stimpy's canine pal |
| 3 Down | 42. Antlered animal |
| 4 Down | 25. Ceremonial splendor |
| 5 Down | 7. Field goal percentage, for one |
| 6 Down | 56. Judge (to be) |
| 7 Down | 55. Jane of Brit Lit |
| 8 Down | 46. "'Tis but a scratch" |
| 9 Down | 39. Not natural, as hair color |
| 10 Down | 48. Part of the body with a lobe |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Todays 55 NYT Mini September 22 2025
- April 07 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- May 23 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "28. It's flicked from a cigarette"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'H'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ASH
2 Down: "62. Stimpy's canine pal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
REN
3 Down: "42. Antlered animal"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'K'
- Another word like this: wapiti
Answer: Click to reveal
ELK
4 Down: "25. Ceremonial splendor"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: P__P
Answer: Click to reveal
POMP
5 Down: "7. Field goal percentage, for one"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: S__T
Answer: Click to reveal
STAT
6 Down: "56. Judge (to be)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: D__M
Answer: Click to reveal
DEEM
7 Down: "55. Jane of Brit Lit"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E__E
Answer: Click to reveal
EYRE
8 Down: "46. "'Tis but a scratch""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I_____E
Answer: Click to reveal
ILLLIVE
9 Down: "39. Not natural, as hair color"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: D__D
Answer: Click to reveal
DYED
10 Down: "48. Part of the body with a lobe"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Another word like this: auricle
Answer: Click to reveal
EAR
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: | Easy |
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.
