NYT Mini Crossword Hints for February 21, 2026
Each clue gets a first letter, a wordplay nudge and the answer. Revealed answers fill the grid.
Across
1A "Jersey Shore" channel (3)
4A "___ Knows" (rhyming ad slogan) (5)
6A Second-best-selling female musician of all time, behind Taylor Swift (7)
8A Whiskey grain (3)
9A Dreaded workday: Abbr. (3)
10A Backfiring blunder, in modern lingo (7)
12A Lengthy sheet for a complicated board game, perhaps (5)
13A Subtle "Yes" (3)
Down
1D In which high schoolers might role-play as ambassadors (7)
2D This clue number (3)
3D Paid via app, perhaps (7)
4D Coat of paint (5)
5D Falls in winter, say (5)
6D Married title (3)
7D ___ Arbor, Mich. (3)
11D Woman in Progressive ads (3)
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Mini-sized tactics
In a 5×5, every across answer crosses every down answer, so one sure word gives you a letter in five others. Start with fill-in-the-blank clues and short, concrete nouns; leave question-mark clues, which signal wordplay, until you have crossings.
A question mark at the end of a clue is the constructor telling you not to read it literally. Abbreviations in the clue (“Org.”, “Abbr.”) mean the answer is abbreviated too.
Questions
When is the new Mini Crossword published?
Weekday Minis appear at 10 p.m. Eastern the night before; weekend Minis appear at 6 p.m. Eastern. This page loads the Mini for your device’s date.
Is the Mini Crossword free?
Yes, the daily Mini is free to play on the NYT Games app and website. The Mini archive needs a subscription.
Why is Saturday’s Mini bigger?
Saturday Minis are often larger than 5×5, sometimes 7×7, and a bit harder. The grid on this page adapts to whatever size the puzzle is.
What’s a good Mini time?
Many regulars solve in under a minute. Around two minutes is a solid everyday time; hints only affect your pride, not the NYT timer.