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Mini Crossword Hints — August 5, 2026

Open one clue at a time. Each row moves from gentle nudge to stronger help without revealing the full answer.

Play puzzle firstAnswer key
All hints
10 clues
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Across

1 Across: Chimps and gorillasHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 4 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter A.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Chimps and gorillas...
5 Across: Moved stealthily, like a cat burglarHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 5 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter C.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Moved stealthily, like...
7 Across: Sacred Jewish scrollHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 5 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter T.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Sacred Jewish scroll...
8 Across: Cinnamon or nutmegHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 5 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter S.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Cinnamon or nutmeg...
9 Across: Appear to beHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 4 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter S.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Appear to be...

Down

1 Down: Performs on stageHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 4 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter A.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Performs on stage...
2 Down: Movie set items like fake swordsHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 5 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter P.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Movie set items...
3 Down: Spooky, like an old haunted houseHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 5 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter E.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Spooky, like an...
4 Down: The final frontier, to Star Trek fansHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 5 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter S.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: The final frontier,...
6 Down: Those folks over thereHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer is 4 letters long.
  2. Hint 2: It starts with the letter T.
  3. Hint 3: It relates to: Those folks over...

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

August 5, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 5, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is for the August 5, 2026 puzzle, with three progressive hints each — from a gentle nudge to a stronger push, but never the full answer.
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/2026-08-05 reveals one answer at a time.