Today's Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini Crossword January 27, 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: June 17 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | August 01 2022 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Across Today November 19 2025 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | January 27, 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 | 38. ___ Speed Wagon (old vehicle) |
| 2 Across | 61. "Yay me!" |
| 3 Across | 21. Far from any urban center, colloquially |
| 4 Across | 68. In poor condition |
| 5 Across | 19. Wrangler on the road |
| 6 Across | 65. Assuaged |
| 7 Across | 54. Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across |
| 8 Across | 58. Poem of praise |
| 9 Across | 16. Some stadium shouts |
| 10 Across | 26. Cousin of a cravat |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- August 31 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Today November 19 2025
- July 27 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "38. ___ Speed Wagon (old vehicle)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'O'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
REO
2 Across: "61. "Yay me!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: I___E
Answer: Click to reveal
IRULE
3 Across: "21. Far from any urban center, colloquially"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: I_________S
Answer: Click to reveal
INTHESTICKS
4 Across: "68. In poor condition"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: S___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
SEEDY
5 Across: "19. Wrangler on the road"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'J' and ends with 'P'
- Word pattern: J__P
Answer: Click to reveal
JEEP
6 Across: "65. Assuaged"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: E___D
Answer: Click to reveal
EASED
7 Across: "54. Metaphor for a parent whose youngest has "launched" ... like the little bird whose progress is suggested by 21-, 33- and 41-Across"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: E_________R
Answer: Click to reveal
EMPTYNESTER
8 Across: "58. Poem of praise"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer: Click to reveal
ODE
9 Across: "16. Some stadium shouts"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: O__S
Answer: Click to reveal
OLES
10 Across: "26. Cousin of a cravat"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: A___T
Answer: Click to reveal
ASCOT
Down Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 53. Tending to cling |
| 2 Down | 42. Chillaxed, say |
| 3 Down | 55. Debatable |
| 4 Down | 39. Chip shape |
| 5 Down | 2. "Wicked" co-star Cynthia ___ |
| 6 Down | 50. Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great |
| 7 Down | 52. Did diddly-squat |
| 8 Down | 37. Singer Rita |
| 9 Down | 7. Hi in HI |
| 10 Down | 46. Possible pronoun pairing |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 27 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- June 17 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- November 07 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "53. Tending to cling"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'N' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: N___Y
Answer: Click to reveal
NEEDY
2 Down: "42. Chillaxed, say"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: L_____D
Answer: Click to reveal
LOUNGED
3 Down: "55. Debatable"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'M' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: M__T
Answer: Click to reveal
MOOT
4 Down: "39. Chip shape"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: D__C
Answer: Click to reveal
DISC
5 Down: "2. "Wicked" co-star Cynthia ___"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: E___O
Answer: Click to reveal
ERIVO
6 Down: "50. Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: T___S
Answer: Click to reveal
TSARS
7 Down: "52. Did diddly-squat"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'I' and ends with 'D'
- Word pattern: I___D
Answer: Click to reveal
IDLED
8 Down: "37. Singer Rita"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'A'
- Another word like this: Os
Answer: Click to reveal
ORA
9 Down: "7. Hi in HI"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A___A
Answer: Click to reveal
ALOHA
10 Down: "46. Possible pronoun pairing"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'H' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: H____Y
Answer: Click to reveal
HETHEY
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 4
When can I play the Trivia Week 4 Mini?
The Trivia Week 4 puzzle is available at 10 PM Eastern Time the night before.
How fast should I be able to solve Trivia Week 4?
Most people solve the Trivia Week 4 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 4?
No! The Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini is completely free. You don't need a subscription like the big crossword.
What makes a good Trivia Week 4 solver?
Good Trivia Week 4 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 4?
Trivia Week 4 puzzles can vary in difficulty. Saturdays are often the hardest, while Mondays are the easiest.
