NYT Mini Answers May 31, 2026 - Trivia Week 4 Special
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 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions | September 28 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | Down Clues NYT December 04 2025 Todays |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | May 31, 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 | 29. Hero of Arabian tales |
| 2 Across | 116. Legendary figure who's the subject of this puzzle |
| 3 Across | 21. Align |
| 4 Across | 84. $5 bill, slangily |
| 5 Across | 24. One involved with checks and balances |
| 6 Across | 20. Coin with 12 stars around the border |
| 7 Across | 57. Sailor's septet |
| 8 Across | 113. Smoke, perhaps |
| 9 Across | 36. D.O.J. agency |
| 10 Across | 41. Athletic skill mastered by 116-Across |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. Also check out these helpful guides:
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers November 06
- January 02 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- Across Clues NYT November 14 2025
1 Across: "29. Hero of Arabian tales"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: A_____A
Answer:
Click to reveal
ALIBABA2 Across: "116. Legendary figure who's the subject of this puzzle"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 11 letters
- It starts with 'W' and ends with 'L'
- Word pattern: W_________L
Answer:
Click to reveal
WILLIAMTELL3 Across: "21. Align"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'C'
- Word pattern: S__C
Answer:
Click to reveal
SYNC4 Across: "84. $5 bill, slangily"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ABE5 Across: "24. One involved with checks and balances"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 9 letters
- It starts with 'T' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: T_______R
Answer:
Click to reveal
TREASURER6 Across: "20. Coin with 12 stars around the border"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'E' and ends with 'O'
- Word pattern: E__O
Answer:
Click to reveal
EURO7 Across: "57. Sailor's septet"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S__S
Answer:
Click to reveal
SEAS8 Across: "113. Smoke, perhaps"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 4 letters
- It starts with 'C' and ends with 'E'
- Word pattern: C__E
Answer:
Click to reveal
CURE9 Across: "36. D.O.J. agency"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'F'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATF10 Across: "41. Athletic skill mastered by 116-Across"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 7 letters
- It starts with 'A' and ends with 'Y'
- Word pattern: A_____Y
Answer:
Click to reveal
ARCHERYDown Clues - 10 Total
These clues go from top to bottom in the puzzle.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 61. Dr. ___ |
| 2 Down | 68. Sunbeam |
| 3 Down | 102. Waves sought by surfers |
| 4 Down | 13. "Bear" that's not a bear |
| 5 Down | 80. It's better than a bogey |
| 6 Down | 11. "___ home and native land!" |
| 7 Down | 92. Conductor Georg |
| 8 Down | 15. Smallest quantity of digital data |
| 9 Down | 35. Where Cary Grant orders a Gibson in a classic scene from "North by Northwest" |
| 10 Down | 79. Full of tall tales |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Need help? Here are hints and answers for each clue above. You might also like:
- July 16 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Xwordhint Crossword Answers November 06
- September 16 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "61. Dr. ___"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'D' and ends with 'E'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
DRE2 Down: "68. Sunbeam"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'R' and ends with 'Y'
- Another word like this: re
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAY3 Down: "102. Waves sought by surfers"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'S'
- Word pattern: S____S
Answer:
Click to reveal
SWELLS4 Down: "13. "Bear" that's not a bear"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'K' and ends with 'A'
- Word pattern: K___A
Answer:
Click to reveal
KOALA5 Down: "80. It's better than a bogey"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'P' and ends with 'R'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
PAR6 Down: "11. "___ home and native land!""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 3 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'R'
- This is a short form or acronym
Answer:
Click to reveal
OUR7 Down: "92. Conductor Georg"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'S' and ends with 'I'
- Word pattern: S___I
Answer:
Click to reveal
SOLTI8 Down: "15. Smallest quantity of digital data"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'O' and ends with 'T'
- Word pattern: O____T
Answer:
Click to reveal
ONEBIT9 Down: "35. Where Cary Grant orders a Gibson in a classic scene from "North by Northwest""
Helpful hints:
- This word has 6 letters
- It starts with 'B' and ends with 'R'
- Word pattern: B____R
Answer:
Click to reveal
BARCAR10 Down: "79. Full of tall tales"
Helpful hints:
- This word has 5 letters
- It starts with 'L' and ends with 'G'
- Word pattern: L___G
Answer:
Click to reveal
LYINGHow 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 1 minute 3 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.
