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Mini #324 · Thursday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 20, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #324, 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: Similar or relatedHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how two things can be described when they share traits.
  2. Hint 2: This word means similar in nature or character, often used in phrases like 'kissing ___'.
  3. Hint 3: It means related or comparable, and it starts with A.
5 Across: Queen ___ of ClevesHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a royal history clue about a famous English king's wives.
  2. Hint 2: She was one of Henry VIII's six wives, specifically the fourth one from a German duchy.
  3. Hint 3: This is a common royal first name, and it starts with A.
6 Across: There are 24 in a dayHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how time is measured throughout a single day.
  2. Hint 2: This word refers to units of time, 24 of which make up one full day.
  3. Hint 3: It's the plural word for 60-minute segments, and it starts with H.
8 Across: Broad, or opposite of narrowHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the opposite of something narrow or thin.
  2. Hint 2: This describes something that spans a large distance from side to side, like a big river or a large smile.
  3. Hint 3: It means expansive or spacious in a horizontal sense, and it starts with W.
9 Across: Bump on an eyelidHint
  1. Hint 1: This is an uncomfortable small bump that can appear on your face.
  2. Hint 2: It's a small, often painful swelling that forms on the edge of your eyelid.
  3. Hint 3: This word describes an eyelid infection, and it starts with S.

Down

1 Down: "That feels nice!"Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a short exclamation you might make after a satisfying stretch or sip of a drink.
  2. Hint 2: It's a sound of relief or pleasure, often said after relaxing or after tasting something good.
  3. Hint 3: This interjection expresses satisfaction, and it starts with A.
2 Down: Is aware ofHint
  1. Hint 1: This phrase relates to having information or awareness about something.
  2. Hint 2: It means to have knowledge of facts or to be familiar with something.
  3. Hint 3: This word means to be informed about something, and it starts with K.
3 Down: Native people of the ArcticHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue is about indigenous people living in a very cold northern region.
  2. Hint 2: These are the traditional inhabitants of the Arctic regions of North America and Greenland.
  3. Hint 3: This is the name for an Arctic indigenous group, and it starts with I.
4 Down: Like a bookish, tech-loving typeHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who loves computers, books, or academic subjects.
  2. Hint 2: It's a playful term for someone who is intellectual, awkward, or obsessed with tech or science.
  3. Hint 3: This adjective describes a geeky, studious person, and it starts with N.
7 Down: Take in with your eyesHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about using your eyes to notice something.
  2. Hint 2: It means to look at or observe something with your vision.
  3. Hint 3: This verb means to perceive visually, and it starts with S.

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 #324 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 three-letter slots are 1-Down and 7-Down; the four-letter slots are 1-Across, 5-Across, 8-Across and 9-Across; the five-letter slots are 6-Across, 2-Down, 3-Down and 4-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 5-Across, “Queen ___ of Cleves”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • 1-Down, “That feels nice!”, is written as a quotation, so the answer is usually something you could say with the same meaning.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 5-Across, “Queen ___ of Cleves” and 3-Down, “Native people of the Arctic”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for August 20, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #324. 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 #323 (August 19, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Big brass instrument that oompahs in a marching band”; the day after, Mini #325 (August 21, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Purchase”.

August 20, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 20, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 20, 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/2026-08-20 reveals one answer at a time.