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Mini #314 · Monday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 10, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #314, 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: Emeril's exclamation while cookingHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 3 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 3 letters and starts with B.
  3. Hint 3: It has 3 letters, starts with B and ends with M.
4 Across: Show with arias, like 'Carmen'Hint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 5 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 5 letters and starts with O.
  3. Hint 3: It has 5 letters, starts with O and ends with A.
6 Across: Killed, in an old balladHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 5 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 5 letters and starts with S.
  3. Hint 3: It has 5 letters, starts with S and ends with N.
7 Across: Tough and durableHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 5 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 5 letters and starts with H.
  3. Hint 3: It has 5 letters, starts with H and ends with Y.
8 Across: Word joining two thingsHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 3 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 3 letters and starts with A.
  3. Hint 3: It has 3 letters, starts with A and ends with D.

Down

1 Down: Facial hair on a chinHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 5 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 5 letters and starts with B.
  3. Hint 3: It has 5 letters, starts with B and ends with D.
2 Down: Bone-dry, like a desertHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 4 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 4 letters and starts with A.
  3. Hint 3: It has 4 letters, starts with A and ends with D.
3 Down: A whole lotHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 4 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 4 letters and starts with M.
  3. Hint 3: It has 4 letters, starts with M and ends with Y.
4 Down: Federal workplace-safety agency, in briefHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 4 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 4 letters and starts with O.
  3. Hint 3: It has 4 letters, starts with O and ends with A.
5 Down: Blueprint or schemeHint
  1. Hint 1: The answer has 4 letters.
  2. Hint 2: It has 4 letters and starts with P.
  3. Hint 3: It has 4 letters, starts with P and ends with N.

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 #314 has ten clues. Written hints aren't available for this date, so each clue gets letter hints instead: the answer's length, then its first letter, then its first and last letters.

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

Clues to try first

  • 4-Down, “Federal workplace-safety agency, in brief”, is marked as a short form, so expect an abbreviated answer.

More for August 10, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #314. 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 #313 (August 9, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Coffee mug”; the day after, Mini #315 (August 11, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Like a refreshing glass of tea in summer”.

August 10, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 10, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 10, 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/2026-08-10 reveals one answer at a time.