NYT Mini Crossword Trivia Week 3 January 20, 2026 - Daily 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: January 13 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | June 30 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | January 06 2022 NYT Clues Solutions |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 20, 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 | 64. Suddenly motivated, with "under" |
| 2 Across | 24. Follower of "T." |
| 3 Across | 44. Historic destination for Pueblo pilgrimages |
| 4 Across | 68. D flat equivalent |
| 5 Across | 66. "Amen!" |
| 6 Across | 43. Fight night souvenir, perhaps |
| 7 Across | 18. One who's hanging around |
| 8 Across | 32. Parade spoiler |
| 9 Across | 7. "In that case ..." |
| 10 Across | 59. Group of orcas |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- January 06 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Today December 07 2025
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers December 14
1 Across: "64. Suddenly motivated, with "under""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: L______E
Answer: Click to reveal
LITAFIRE
2 Across: "24. Follower of "T.""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'X'
- Another word like this: king
Answer: Click to reveal
REX
3 Across: "44. Historic destination for Pueblo pilgrimages"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 14 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: T____________N
Answer: Click to reveal
THEGRANDCANYON
4 Across: "68. D flat equivalent"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: C____P
Answer: Click to reveal
CSHARP
5 Across: "66. "Amen!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'Y' and ends with 'S'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
YES
6 Across: "43. Fight night souvenir, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: W__T
Answer: Click to reveal
WELT
7 Across: "18. One who's hanging around"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: L______R
Answer: Click to reveal
LOITERER
8 Across: "32. Parade spoiler"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: R__N
Answer: Click to reveal
RAIN
9 Across: "7. "In that case ...""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: I__O
Answer: Click to reveal
IFSO
10 Across: "59. Group of orcas"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 8 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: W______D
Answer: Click to reveal
WHALEPOD
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 46. ___ Holmes, Netflix character played by Millie Bobby Brown |
| 2 Down | 6. The "S" of A.B.S. |
| 3 Down | 2. Chicago airport code |
| 4 Down | 1. Tour overseer, for short |
| 5 Down | 63. Pennzoil competitor |
| 6 Down | 23. "Star Wars" princess |
| 7 Down | 56. McIntosh (or Macintosh) component |
| 8 Down | 8. One pitied by Mr. T, in a catchphrase |
| 9 Down | 7. Mallorca, por ejemplo |
| 10 Down | 40. Unappetizing food |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- NYT Across Today December 07 2025
- January 13 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- January 06 2023 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "46. ___ Holmes, Netflix character played by Millie Bobby Brown"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: E___A
Answer: Click to reveal
ENOLA
2 Down: "6. The "S" of A.B.S."
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'M'
- Word pattern: S____M
Answer: Click to reveal
SYSTEM
3 Down: "2. Chicago airport code"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'D'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ORD
4 Down: "1. Tour overseer, for short"
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
PGA
5 Down: "63. Pennzoil competitor"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'P'
- Another word like this: s.t.p.
Answer: Click to reveal
STP
6 Down: "23. "Star Wars" princess"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: L__A
Answer: Click to reveal
LEIA
7 Down: "56. McIntosh (or Macintosh) component"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: C__E
Answer: Click to reveal
CORE
8 Down: "8. One pitied by Mr. T, in a catchphrase"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: F__L
Answer: Click to reveal
FOOL
9 Down: "7. Mallorca, por ejemplo"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: I__A
Answer: Click to reveal
ISLA
10 Down: "40. Unappetizing food"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: S__P
Answer: Click to reveal
SLOP
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: | Medium |
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.
