Trivia Week 4 NYT Mini August 28, 2026 Solutions & Guide
Today's Mini has 20 clues to get through. Hints and answers for all of them are below.
Popular Puzzles: September 02 2019 NYT Clues Solutions | Xwordhint Crossword Answers November 19 | Todays NYT Mini Crossword October 29 |
About Today's Puzzle
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | August 28, 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 4 NYT Mini Crossword Grid Layout
It's a 5 by 5 grid today — five boxes across, five 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 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
- Total squares: 25 (5 × 5)
- Typical solve time: well under a minute for most regulars
- Good time to play: on a coffee break
- Difficulty: built to be approachable
Across Clues - 10 Total
These run left to right across the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Across | 26. "Ignorance is bliss," e.g. |
| 2 Across | 36. Asteroids system |
| 3 Across | 22. "Would ya look at that ..." |
| 4 Across | 58. Kim Cattrall's role on "Sex and the City" |
| 5 Across | 39. ___ collar |
| 6 Across | 35. ___ polo (sport played in Pakistan) |
| 7 Across | 38. Flame proof? |
| 8 Across | 25. Milieu for bathyspheres, with "the" |
| 9 Across | 16. Politician's response, maybe |
| 10 Across | 13. Worrier's words |
Hints and Answers for Across Clues
Stuck on one? Hints and answers for each clue are below. A few other guides worth a look:
- NYT Across Today October 05 2025
- Todays NYT Mini Crossword October 29
- September 02 2019 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Across: "26. "Ignorance is bliss," e.g."
Hints:
- You're looking for 6 letters.
- Kicks off with 'O' and wraps up with 'W'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
OLDSAW2 Across: "36. Asteroids system"
Hints:
- It's a 5-letter word.
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'I'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: A___I
Answer:
Click to reveal
ATARI3 Across: "22. "Would ya look at that ...""
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'W' and wraps up with 'L'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: W__________L
- You're looking for 12 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
WELLWELLWELL4 Across: "58. Kim Cattrall's role on "Sex and the City""
Hints:
- It's a 8-letter word.
- First letter's a 'S', last letter's a 'A'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: S______A
Answer:
Click to reveal
SAMANTHA5 Across: "39. ___ collar"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'E' and wraps up with 'N'.
- If that helps, the shape is: E__N
- This one runs 4 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ETON6 Across: "35. ___ polo (sport played in Pakistan)"
Hints:
- Basically, noisy talk.
- Close enough in meaning: yack.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
YAK7 Across: "38. Flame proof?"
Hints:
- Think of it this way — the residue that remains when something is burned.
- Starts with 'A', ends with 'H'.
- It's a 3-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
ASH8 Across: "25. Milieu for bathyspheres, with "the""
Hints:
- In plain terms: the central and most intense or profound part.
- You could also think of it as "trench."
- First letter's a 'D', last letter's a 'S'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
DEEPS9 Across: "16. Politician's response, maybe"
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'N' and wraps up with 'R'.
- You're looking for 9 letters.
Answer:
Click to reveal
NONANSWER10 Across: "13. Worrier's words"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'I', last letter's a 'T'.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: I______T
- It's a 8-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
IHOPENOTDown Clues - 10 Total
These run top to bottom in the grid.
| Number | Clue |
|---|---|
| 1 Down | 10. Screen capture? |
| 2 Down | 35. "The thing is ..." |
| 3 Down | 3. Brazilian soccer star known for his dribbling flair |
| 4 Down | 27. Blend |
| 5 Down | 43. Jazz aficionado, e.g. |
| 6 Down | 31. Outlaw |
| 7 Down | 51. Star turns at a concert |
| 8 Down | 44. Spirit seen on el Día de los Muertos |
| 9 Down | 4. Org. that might do some spring cleaning? |
| 10 Down | 17. Overhaul |
Hints and Answers for Down Clues
Same deal here — hints then answers. You might also like:
- Thursdays NYT Down Nov 13 Full Vertical
- June 12 2021 NYT Clues Solutions
- March 02 2020 NYT Clues Solutions
1 Down: "10. Screen capture?"
Hints:
- Count on 4 letters here.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- In plain terms: fine ravellings of cotton or linen fibers.
Answer:
Click to reveal
LINT2 Down: "35. "The thing is ...""
Hints:
- Kicks off with 'Y' and wraps up with 'E'.
- It's a 6-letter word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
YOUSEE3 Down: "3. Brazilian soccer star known for his dribbling flair"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'R', last letter's a 'O'.
- It's a 10-letter word.
- If that helps, the shape is: R________O
Answer:
Click to reveal
RONALDINHO4 Down: "27. Blend"
Hints:
- If that helps, the shape is: A________E
- You could also think of it as "commix."
- Kicks off with 'A' and wraps up with 'E'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
AMALGAMATE5 Down: "43. Jazz aficionado, e.g."
Hints:
- Starts with 'N', ends with 'N'.
- Count on 6 letters here.
- Pattern-wise it looks like: N____N
Answer:
Click to reveal
NBAFAN6 Down: "31. Outlaw"
Hints:
- Close enough in meaning: shun.
- Count on 3 letters here.
- Kicks off with 'B' and wraps up with 'N'.
Answer:
Click to reveal
BAN7 Down: "51. Star turns at a concert"
Hints:
- Starts with 'S', ends with 'I'.
- You could also think of it as "solo."
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
Answer:
Click to reveal
SOLI8 Down: "44. Spirit seen on el Día de los Muertos"
Hints:
- This one runs 6 letters long.
- Kicks off with 'M' and wraps up with 'L'.
- You could also think of it as "mescal."
Answer:
Click to reveal
MEZCAL9 Down: "4. Org. that might do some spring cleaning?"
Hints:
- First letter's a 'E', last letter's a 'A'.
- This is more of an abbreviation than a regular word.
- This one runs 3 letters long.
Answer:
Click to reveal
EPA10 Down: "17. Overhaul"
Hints:
- It's a 6-letter word.
- Starts with 'R', ends with 'K'.
- Think of it this way — use again in altered form.
Answer:
Click to reveal
REWORKHow to Solve the NYT Mini Crossword Faster
Some habits that speed things up over time:
Step-by-Step Strategy
- Read it all first: Go through every clue once before writing anything down — it primes your brain even on the ones you skip.
- Grab the short ones: Two and three letter answers (things like "IT" or "ON") are usually the easiest place to start.
- Use the crossings: Once a couple of words are in, the crossing letters do a lot of the work for you on the harder ones.
- Watch for question marks: A "?" at the end of a clue almost always signals a pun rather than a literal answer.
- Keep the regulars in mind: ERA, ORE, ATE, ICE — these turn up often enough that it's worth remembering them.
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: | 52 seconds |
| Difficulty: | Normal |
Common Questions About Trivia Week 4
When does the Trivia Week 4 Mini go live?
Typically drops the evening before, around 10 PM ET.
How long should Trivia Week 4 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 4 free to play?
Nope, it's free — no subscription needed like the full-size crossword.
What actually makes someone good at Trivia Week 4?
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 4 get harder as the week goes on?
It varies day to day — Saturdays tend to be the toughest, Mondays the easiest.
