NYT Mini Crossword Hints for October 17, 2026
Each clue gets a first letter, a wordplay nudge and the answer. Revealed answers fill the grid.
Across
1A "A book which people praise and don't read," per Mark Twain (7)
8A Cheese used in lasagna (7)
9A Two hours of free drinks at a wedding, say (7)
10A Swanky event in a gallery (7)
11A Uncle, in Spanish (3)
12A Basketball net holder (3)
13A B&B relative (3)
14A ___ kwon do (3)
15A Number shown on a dating profile (3)
16A Show that The Weeknd has performed on, aptly enough (3)
Down
1D Zagreb's country (7)
2D Piercing seen while puckering (7)
3D Chemical ingredient in nail polish remover (7)
4D Karaoke choice (4)
5D Caribbean resort island for the ultrawealthy, familiarly (7)
6D Like antipasti, manicotti and gelati (7)
7D Gooey part of a Snickers bar (7)
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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.