Complete Solutions for NYT Mini Trivia Week 2 May 12, 2026
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: July 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | October 11 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | NYT Across Crossword September 19 2025 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | May 12, 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 | 27. Kids' items at a day care in Derby |
| 2 Across | 34. Pod tidbit |
| 3 Across | 58. "Hmm, why use the spellings of 17-, 27- and 46-Across?" |
| 4 Across | 6. Have the sense of |
| 5 Across | 17. Listing at an ice cream shop in Ipswich |
| 6 Across | 37. Members of the aristocracy |
| 7 Across | 64. A pelican can hold more water in this than in its belly |
| 8 Across | 22. Happen afterward |
| 9 Across | 63. Laura of "Jurassic Park" |
| 10 Across | 51. Live (in) |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- May 30 2022 NYT Clues Solutions
- NYT Across Crossword September 19 2025
- Fridays NYT Mini Dec 05 All 10 Across
1 Across: "27. Kids' items at a day care in Derby"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 14 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: C____________S
Answer:
Click to reveal
COLOURINGBOOKS2 Across: "34. Pod tidbit"
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
PEA3 Across: "58. "Hmm, why use the spellings of 17-, 27- and 46-Across?""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 15 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'H'
- Word pattern: O_____________H
Answer:
Click to reveal
OHYOUAREBRITISH4 Across: "6. Have the sense of"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: F__L
Answer:
Click to reveal
FEEL5 Across: "17. Listing at an ice cream shop in Ipswich"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 15 letters
- It starts with 'F' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: F_____________Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
FLAVOUROFTHEDAY6 Across: "37. Members of the aristocracy"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: E____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELITES7 Across: "64. A pelican can hold more water in this than in its belly"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: B__L
Answer:
Click to reveal
BILL8 Across: "22. Happen afterward"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: E___E
Answer:
Click to reveal
ENSUE9 Across: "63. Laura of "Jurassic Park""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'N'
- Word pattern: D__N
Answer:
Click to reveal
DERN10 Across: "51. Live (in)"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: D___L
Answer:
Click to reveal
DWELLDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 36. Some are said to be "swimming" in this |
| 2 Down | 30. Wails |
| 3 Down | 44. Shake with fear |
| 4 Down | 61. Wapiti, by another name |
| 5 Down | 51. Birdbrain |
| 6 Down | 43. Big ___, West Coast tourist destination |
| 7 Down | 11. Marries |
| 8 Down | 18. Pakistani language |
| 9 Down | 1. Divan |
| 10 Down | 7. Sense of self |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- Across Clues NYT October 19 2025 Todays
- All NYT Down Clues September 26 2025 35
- July 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "36. Some are said to be "swimming" in this"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: D__T
Answer:
Click to reveal
DEBT2 Down: "30. Wails"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: K___S
Answer:
Click to reveal
KEENS3 Down: "44. Shake with fear"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: T_____E
Answer:
Click to reveal
TREMBLE4 Down: "61. Wapiti, by another name"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'K'
- Another word like this: wapiti
Answer:
Click to reveal
ELK5 Down: "51. Birdbrain"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: D__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
DODO6 Down: "43. Big ___, West Coast tourist destination"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'R'
- Another word like this: Tyre
Answer:
Click to reveal
SUR7 Down: "11. Marries"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: W__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
WEDS8 Down: "18. Pakistani language"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'U' and ends with 'U'
- Word pattern: U__U
Answer:
Click to reveal
URDU9 Down: "1. Divan"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: S__A
Answer:
Click to reveal
SOFA10 Down: "7. Sense of self"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Another word like this: self
Answer:
Click to reveal
EGOHow 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: | Easy |
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.
