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Mini #330 · Wednesday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 26, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #330, 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: Coffee ___ (a single one of these makes a cup)Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what your morning brew is made from before it's ground.
  2. Hint 2: A cup of coffee starts as small roasted seeds from a plant.
  3. Hint 3: It's the small seed used to make coffee, starts with B.
5 Across: Prayer said before a mealHint
  1. Hint 1: This is something you might say around the dinner table before eating.
  2. Hint 2: It's a short thankful prayer or blessing spoken before a meal.
  3. Hint 3: A blessing said before eating, starts with G.
6 Across: "Get ___ here!" ("No way!")Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is an exclamation of disbelief or rejection.
  2. Hint 2: It's what you might shout when telling someone to leave immediately in surprise or annoyance.
  3. Hint 3: A phrase meaning 'no way' or 'leave now', starts with O.
7 Across: Guide a car's directionHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you do with a steering wheel.
  2. Hint 2: It means to control the direction something is moving in.
  3. Hint 3: To guide or direct a vehicle, starts with S.
8 Across: Group of cattleHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a term for animals gathered together, especially livestock.
  2. Hint 2: Cows and cattle are often seen moving together in this kind of group.
  3. Hint 3: A collection of cattle, starts with H.

Down

1 Down: Cruel, brutish personHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who acts with harsh, savage force.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a rough, violent thug with no gentleness at all.
  3. Hint 3: A harsh, savage person, starts with B.
2 Down: One who consumes foodHint
  1. Hint 1: This word describes anyone doing something at mealtime.
  2. Hint 2: It's simply someone who eats, whether at a restaurant or home.
  3. Hint 3: A person who consumes food, starts with E.
3 Down: Performed on stageHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what someone does in a play or movie.
  2. Hint 2: It refers to performing a role in front of an audience or camera.
  3. Hint 3: Portrayed a character in a performance, starts with A.
4 Down: Close byHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes something not far away.
  2. Hint 2: It's the opposite of distant, meaning very close in space.
  3. Hint 3: Meaning close by or nearby, starts with N.
5 Down: "Oh, my ___!" (mild exclamation)Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a phrase people use for a soft exclamation of surprise.
  2. Hint 2: It's a mild, old-fashioned way to express astonishment without cursing.
  3. Hint 3: A gentle exclamation of surprise, starts with G.

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 #330 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, “Coffee ___ (a single one of these makes a cup)”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • 6-Across, “‘Get ___ here!’ (‘No way!’)”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • 5-Down, “‘Oh, my ___!’ (mild exclamation)”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 6-Across, “‘Get ___ here!’ (‘No way!’)”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for August 26, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #330. 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 #329 (August 25, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Block a drain”; the day after, Mini #331 (August 27, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Belonging to him”.

August 26, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 26, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 26, 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/2026-08-26 reveals one answer at a time.