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Mini #312 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 8, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #312, 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
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Across

1 Across: Corporate bosses, for shortHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about business hierarchy and who's in charge at a company.
  2. Hint 2: This is an abbreviation used for the top executives who run corporations.
  3. Hint 3: These are the chief executives, often shortened to initials; starts with C.
5 Across: One's strong suitHint
  1. Hint 1: This phrase describes what someone is especially good at.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a card game term used to mean someone's specialty or best skill.
  3. Hint 3: It means a person's strongest talent or specialty; starts with F.
6 Across: The upper crust; society's bestHint
  1. Hint 1: This word describes a select, exclusive group considered the finest.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a word used for high society or the most privileged and accomplished people.
  3. Hint 3: It refers to the most distinguished or privileged group in society; starts with E.
7 Across: Tied up, as sneakersHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how you secure your footwear before heading out.
  2. Hint 2: This describes shoes after you've pulled the strings tight and tied them.
  3. Hint 3: It means fastened tightly using string through eyelets; starts with L.
8 Across: Russian emperor of oldHint
  1. Hint 1: This word refers to a historical ruler of a large Eastern European empire.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the title used by Russian monarchs before the revolution, like Nicholas II.
  3. Hint 3: It's the old title for the emperor of Russia; starts with T.

Down

1 Down: Fizzy soft drinksHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about carbonated beverages you might drink at a party.
  2. Hint 2: These are bubbly soft drinks like the kind found in vending machines.
  3. Hint 3: It's a general term for fizzy soda-type beverages; starts with C.
2 Down: Woman's name, or a shrub with pink flowersHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue mixes a person's first name with a flowering plant.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a common girl's name that's also the name of a pink-blossomed heath shrub.
  3. Hint 3: It's both a woman's name and a shrub known for its pink flowers; starts with E.
3 Down: River animal that floats on its backHint
  1. Hint 1: This aquatic animal is known for playfully floating on its back in rivers.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a sleek, whiskered mammal often seen cracking shells on its belly while floating.
  3. Hint 3: It's a playful river-dwelling mammal that floats on its back; starts with O.
4 Down: What a gardener plantsHint
  1. Hint 1: This is something small a gardener puts into the soil to grow a plant.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the tiny item you plant that eventually sprouts into a flower or vegetable.
  3. Hint 3: It's the small object planted in soil to grow into a plant; starts with S.
5 Down: Sensed, or the fabric of a cowboy hatHint
  1. Hint 1: This word can describe an emotional perception or the material of a hat.
  2. Hint 2: Think of both 'perceived something' and the soft fabric often used for cowboy hats.
  3. Hint 3: It means both sensed something and a soft wool-like fabric; starts with F.

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 #312 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, 8-Across, 4-Down and 5-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across, 6-Across, 7-Across, 1-Down, 2-Down and 3-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 1-Across, “Corporate bosses, for short”, is marked as a short form, so expect an abbreviated answer.

More for August 8, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #312. When you're done, the answer key reveals one answer at a time, and the printable copy is there for paper solvers. The day before, Mini #311 (August 7, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Not covered up”; the day after, Mini #313 (August 9, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Coffee mug”.

August 8, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 8, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 8, 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/2026-08-08 reveals one answer at a time.