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Hints for Our Daily Mini Crossword

Step-by-step hints for September 26, 2026's puzzle, our own daily mini. Looking for the New York Times Mini? That’s a different puzzle, published on nytimes.com.

Today's hintsPlay first
September 26, 2026

Today's clues

Here are the clues in today's daily 5×5. Open the hint page for three step-by-step hints per clue. No answers here.

Across

  • 1. Managed-care plan, in brief
  • 4. Sounds a car horn makes
  • 6. Espresso drink with steamed milk
  • 7. Distinguishing characteristic
  • 8. Tender loving care, in brief

Down

  • 1. Organ that pumps blood
  • 2. Iron or gold, for example
  • 3. Relating to the eye
  • 4. Sandwich with bacon, in brief
  • 5. Ready, ___, go!
Open today's hints
Latest

Start with today's hints

Open the September 26, 2026 hint page when you want a small push without jumping straight to the answer key.

Open today's hints See today's answers

Recent hint pages

Pick a date, solve what you can, and reveal hints one clue at a time.

TodayView hints September 25, 2026View hints September 24, 2026View hints September 23, 2026View hints September 22, 2026View hints September 21, 2026View hints September 20, 2026View hints September 19, 2026View hints September 18, 2026View hints September 17, 2026View hints September 16, 2026View hints September 15, 2026View hints September 14, 2026View hints September 13, 2026View hints

Progressive hints

Hint 1 points you at the idea, hint 2 narrows it down, and hint 3 all but gives it away, usually naming the first letter.

Spoiler control

Hints stay hidden in disclosure rows so you only reveal what you need.

Daily coverage

Every daily 5×5 in the 90-day archive has its own hint page.

General solving tips

Tip 1

Start with the shortest words because they have the fewest possible fills.

Tip 2

Use crossing letters aggressively; one known letter can collapse a clue.

Tip 3

Read the clue literally before trying wordplay or alternate meanings.

Tip 4

Check tense, plurality, and part of speech before committing a guess.

Tip 5

When stuck, step away from the clue and scan the whole grid again.

More in the mini crossword solving tips, with real clues for plurals, blanks, abbreviations and question marks, or see the how-to-play guide for a full puzzle solved step by step.

Mini Crossword hints FAQ

How do the hints work?
Every clue gets three steps. Hint 1 points you at the idea, hint 2 narrows it down, and hint 3 all but gives it away, usually naming the first letter. Open a clue, read hint 1, and only tap "Show hint 2" or "Show hint 3" if you still need more.
Are these hints for today’s puzzle?
Yes. This page covers today’s daily 5×5, dated September 26, 2026. Every daily 5×5 in the 90-day archive also has its own hint page.
Is this the NYT Mini hints page?
No. This is an independent daily mini crossword. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, sponsored by, or endorsed by The New York Times.
What if the hints aren’t enough?
Open the answer key, which reveals one answer at a time so you can check just the clue you’re stuck on without spoiling the rest of the grid.
When do new hints come out?
New hints publish at midnight ET alongside the day’s fresh puzzle, so today’s clues always have matching hints.
Hints for Our Daily Mini Crossword — September 26, 2026