Today's Trivia Week 3 NYT Mini Crossword October 18, 2026 Answers
Here's today's NYT Mini — 20 clues in total, and we've got hints plus answers for every one of them.
Popular Puzzles: October 09 2020 NYT Clues Solutions | Todays Down Crossword NYT October 21 | NYT Across Crossword December 11 2025 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 18, 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 3 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
Standard Mini size again: 5 across, 5 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 One Fast
- Skim every clue once before you write anything — your brain keeps chewing on the ones you don't solve right away.
- Knock out the short answers (3 letters or under) first.
- Lean on the crossing letters once a couple of words are in.
- A question mark in a clue usually means there's a pun coming.
- THE, AND, ARE, FOR, NOT — these little words show up constantly, keep them in your back pocket.
Quick Facts
- Squares in the grid: 25
- How long it takes: usually under a minute once you're warmed up
- Best moment for it: any short break
- Overall difficulty: easy-going by design
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 94. Figure, informally |
| 2 Across | 28. Softens with sudden sympathy or affection |
| 3 Across | 72. Bond |
| 4 Across | 44. View spoiler |
| 5 Across | 84. Brand represented by Happy the Oil Drop |
| 6 Across | 78. Tree that can be a source of water for thirsty elephants |
| 7 Across | 120. Analogue of a delete key |
| 8 Across | 32. "What" |
| 9 Across | 76. Apt name for a thief |
| 10 Across | 75. Small + or – |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- Sundays NYT Across Dec 14 Full
- September 29 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- August 06 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "94. Figure, informally"
Hints:
- In plain terms: alternative names for the body of a human being.
- Starts with 'B', ends with 'D'.
- You're looking for 3 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOD2 Across: "28. Softens with sudden sympathy or affection"
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- If that helps, the shape is: M___S
- 'thawing' points in the same direction.
Answer:
Click to reveal
MELTS3 Across: "72. Bond"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: linkup.
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Starts with 'T', ends with 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
TIE4 Across: "44. View spoiler"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'E'.
- Basically, something very ugly and offensive.
- It's a 7-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EYESORE5 Across: "84. Brand represented by Happy the Oil Drop"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'O'.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- Count on 4 letters here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ESSO6 Across: "78. Tree that can be a source of water for thirsty elephants"
Hints:
- This one runs 6 letters long.
- Starts with 'B', ends with 'B'.
- Blank it out and you get: B____B
Answer:
Click to reveal
BAOBAB7 Across: "120. Analogue of a delete key"
Hints:
- Basically, an implement used to erase something.
- Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'R'.
- Blank it out and you get: E____R
Answer:
Click to reveal
ERASER8 Across: "32. "What""
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'I' and wraps up with 'T'.
- You're looking for 12 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ITELLYOUWHAT9 Across: "76. Apt name for a thief"
Hints:
- You could also think of it as "plume."
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'B'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ROB10 Across: "75. Small + or –"
Hints:
- It's a 3-letter word.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- Kicks off with 'I' and wraps up with 'N'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
IONDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 87. Ousted, democratically |
| 2 Down | 35. Weak, as an excuse |
| 3 Down | 7. Novel form of summer escapism? |
| 4 Down | 47. Like Amazon forests, typically |
| 5 Down | 36. "Ibis" poet |
| 6 Down | 74. Big bang source |
| 7 Down | 77. Like London's Kew Gardens |
| 8 Down | 42. Gawker |
| 9 Down | 1. Short cut |
| 10 Down | 62. John M. ___, director of 2024's "Wicked" |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- April 17 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
- Todays NYT Crossword Down Clues October
- August 06 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "87. Ousted, democratically"
Hints:
- You're looking for 8 letters.
- Starts with 'V', ends with 'T'.
- Blank it out and you get: V______T
Answer:
Click to reveal
VOTEDOUT2 Down: "35. Weak, as an excuse"
Hints:
- It's a 4-letter word.
- 'halt' points in the same direction.
- Basically, someone who doesn't understand what is going on.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LAME3 Down: "7. Novel form of summer escapism?"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: P______D
- Starts with 'P', ends with 'D'.
- You're looking for 8 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
POOLREAD4 Down: "47. Like Amazon forests, typically"
Hints:
- Blank it out and you get: R___Y
- Think of it this way — (of weather) wet by periods of rain.
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'Y'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
RAINY5 Down: "36. "Ibis" poet"
Hints:
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- You're looking for 4 letters.
- First letter's a 'O', last letter's a 'D'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OVID6 Down: "74. Big bang source"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: cap.
- Blank it out and you get: D_______R
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'R'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DETONATOR7 Down: "77. Like London's Kew Gardens"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'B', last letter's a 'C'.
- Blank it out and you get: B_____C
- You're looking for 7 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BOTANIC8 Down: "42. Gawker"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: L______O
- Count on 8 letters here.
- First letter's a 'L', last letter's a 'O'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LOOKYLOO9 Down: "1. Short cut"
Hints:
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'P'.
- It's a 4-letter word.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SNIP10 Down: "62. John M. ___, director of 2024's "Wicked""
Hints:
- It's a 3-letter word.
- Short form / acronym territory here.
- First letter's a 'C', last letter's a 'U'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
CHUHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
A few things that actually help once you've been doing these a while:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Scan before you solve: One quick read-through of all the clues before you commit to anything usually pays off.
- Short words first: The 2-3 letter answers are almost always the low-hanging fruit.
- Let crossings guide you: Harder answers get much easier once a couple of crossing letters are locked in.
- Puns hide behind question marks: If a clue ends in "?", expect wordplay, not a straight answer.
- A few words repeat a lot: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE show up more than you'd expect — keep them in mind.
Letter Tips That Really Help
- E is the most common letter in English, so it's worth guessing early.
- Words ending in S are usually plurals.
- Blanks ("___") in a clue mean the answer fits exactly into those spaces.
- An abbreviation in the clue is a signal the answer's abbreviated too.
Time Goals to Aim For
| Your Time | Skill Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 seconds | Expert | You've clearly got the puzzle's patterns down. |
| 30-60 seconds | Advanced | Solid pace — you're solving quickly. |
| 1-2 minutes | Good | Right where most regular solvers land. |
| Over 2 minutes | Learning | Totally fine — speed comes with reps. |
Puzzle Numbers and Facts
| Total Clues: | 20 |
| Grid Size: | 5 boxes across, 5 boxes down |
| Total Squares: | 25 |
| Average Time: | 1 minute 10 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 3
When does the Trivia Week 3 Mini go live?
Typically drops the evening before, around 10 PM ET.
How long should Trivia Week 3 take me?
Anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes is typical. Don't stress if you're on the slower end at first.
Is Trivia Week 3 free to play?
Nope, it's free — no subscription needed like the full-size crossword.
What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 3?
Knowing the common short words, spotting wordplay quickly, and reading crossing letters well — that combination gets you most of the way there.
Does Trivia Week 3 get harder as the week goes on?
Difficulty shifts through the week; expect Monday to be gentle and Saturday to bite a bit more.
