NYT Mini Crossword Hints for September 11, 2026
Each clue gets a first letter, a wordplay nudge and the answer. Revealed answers fill the grid.
Across
1A Picture puzzle where 👁️ + ❤️ + 🐑 means "I love you" (5)
6A Its license plates read "Famous Potatoes" (5)
7A After-dinner coffee order (5)
8A Distinctive feature of an aardvark (5)
9A Long-running show with a cold open, familiarly (3)
Down
1D Frees (of) (4)
2D Utopian places (5)
3D "I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the ___" (Weezer lyric) (5)
4D Big name in moving trucks (5)
5D Word before ware or ball (4)
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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.