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Mini #288 · Wednesday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — July 15, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #288, our own daily mini crossword. Looking for the New York Times Mini? That’s a different puzzle, published on nytimes.com.

Play puzzle firstAnswer key
All hints
10 clues
Spoiler-light

Across

1 Across: In great physical shapeHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how someone looks after lots of workouts at the gym.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes a toned, muscular physique, often used as slang.
  3. Hint 3: It means physically fit or muscular, and it starts with B.
5 Across: Not yet lighted, as a candleHint
  1. Hint 1: Picture a candle sitting on a table before anyone strikes a match.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes something that hasn't been set on fire yet.
  3. Hint 3: It means not ignited, and it starts with U.
7 Across: Material for a castle wallHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of what medieval builders used for fortresses.
  2. Hint 2: This hard natural material is quarried and used in construction, especially old walls.
  3. Hint 3: It means rock used for building, and it starts with S.
8 Across: Brings on for a jobHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what a company does when it wants new employees.
  2. Hint 2: This word means to employ or take someone on for a position.
  3. Hint 3: It means employs someone, and it starts with H.
9 Across: FinalHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the end of a sequence or list.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes something coming after all the others, the very end.
  3. Hint 3: It means final in order, and it starts with L.

Down

1 Down: Leafy shrubHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a common type of plant found in gardens and forests.
  2. Hint 2: This is a woody plant smaller than a tree, often with many branches from the base.
  3. Hint 3: It means a leafy woody plant, and it starts with B.
2 Down: Up to the time thatHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a phrase used to describe a point in time before something happens.
  2. Hint 2: This phrase means 'before' or 'up till' a certain moment occurs.
  3. Hint 3: It means up to a certain time, and it starts with U.
3 Down: Plants of a regionHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a scientific term for plant life in a certain area.
  2. Hint 2: This word refers to all the plants found in a particular region or habitat.
  3. Hint 3: It means the plant life of an area, and it starts with F.
4 Down: Penalties for overdue library booksHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you owe if you keep a library book too long.
  2. Hint 2: These are the monetary penalties charged for overdue items.
  3. Hint 3: It means charges for lateness, and it starts with F.
6 Down: ExamHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of something students take to show what they've learned.
  2. Hint 2: This word refers to an assessment used to check knowledge or skill.
  3. Hint 3: It means an examination, and it starts with T.

Use hints slowly

Reveal the first hint, try the grid again, then come back only if the crossing letters still do not move.

See answers

Before you open a hint

Mini #288 has ten clues, so this page holds 30 hints. Hint 1 points you at the idea, hint 2 narrows it down, and hint 3 all but gives it away. On this date, all ten third hints name the answer's first letter.

Short answers have the fewest possible fills, so they make a good start. The four-letter slots are 1-Across, 9-Across, 1-Down and 6-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across, 7-Across, 8-Across, 2-Down, 3-Down and 4-Down.

Clues to try first

None of the ten clues is a fill-in-the-blank, a quotation, a question-mark clue or a marked short form. Read each one as a plain definition first. The shortest clue is 9-Across, “Final”, at one word; the longest is 5-Across, “Not yet lighted, as a candle”, at six words.

More for July 15, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #288. When you're done, the answer key reveals one answer at a time, and the printable copy is there for paper solvers. The day after, Mini #289 (July 16, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Worm on a hook, e.g.”.

July 15, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the July 15, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own July 15, 2026 puzzle, with three hints each, from a gentle nudge to a strong push. The answers themselves are on the answer key 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 is the difference between hints and the answer key?
Hints move you toward the answer one step at a time so you can still solve it yourself. If you want to see a solution outright, the answer key at /answers/2026-07-15 reveals one answer at a time.