Mini Crossword Hints Today

Spoiler-light nudges for August 12, 2026 and every recent puzzle, built so you can stop before the answer gives itself away.

Today's hints Play first

Progressive hints

Each clue starts gentle: length first, opening letter next, then a clue-level nudge.

Spoiler control

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

Daily coverage

Today, yesterday, and the recent archive all have their own hint pages.

August 12, 2026

Today's clues

Here are the clues in today's Mini Crossword. Open the hint page to reveal three progressive hints per clue — no answers here.

Across

1. Chimp or gorilla
4. Color between black and white
5. Overused, like a cliché
6. Peck on the cheek
7. The loneliest number, in a song

Down

1. Get up out of bed
2. Gentle taps on the back
3. Organ you see with
4. Big cheesy smile
5. Boxing win when a fighter can't continue, for short

Open today's hints

Latest

Start with today's hints

Open the August 12, 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 August 11, 2026View hints August 10, 2026View hints August 9, 2026View hints August 8, 2026View hints August 7, 2026View hints August 6, 2026View hints August 5, 2026View hints August 4, 2026View hints August 3, 2026View hints August 2, 2026View hints August 1, 2026View hints July 31, 2026View hints July 30, 2026View hints

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.

Mini Crossword hints FAQ

How do the hints work?: Every clue gets three steps. The first is a gentle nudge (length or the kind of answer), the second is stronger, and the third is the strongest push — but never the full answer. 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 Mini Crossword, dated August 12, 2026. Every recent date also has its own hint page, so you can get help on any puzzle from the past few months.
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.

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.

Mini Crossword hints FAQ

How do the hints work?

Every clue gets three steps. The first is a gentle nudge (length or the kind of answer), the second is stronger, and the third is the strongest push — but never the full answer. 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 Mini Crossword, dated August 12, 2026. Every recent date also has its own hint page, so you can get help on any puzzle from the past few months.

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.