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Mini #332 · Friday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 28, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #332, 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: Grocery shopper's checklistHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you'd bring along to the store.
  2. Hint 2: This is the roster of items you write down before shopping.
  3. Hint 3: A rundown of things needed; starts with L.
5 Across: Ancient Peruvian empireHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about a historic civilization in South America.
  2. Hint 2: They built Machu Picchu high in the Andes.
  3. Hint 3: A pre-Columbian empire in Peru; starts with I.
6 Across: Guide at the back of a bookHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how you find topics quickly in a book.
  2. Hint 2: This alphabetical list of terms is usually near the last pages.
  3. Hint 3: A reference guide at a book's end; starts with I.
7 Across: Blood vesselHint
  1. Hint 1: This has to do with the human circulatory system.
  2. Hint 2: It's a tube that carries blood back toward the heart.
  3. Hint 3: A blood-carrying vessel; starts with V.
8 Across: College brotherhood, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a casual term for a certain kind of campus group.
  2. Hint 2: Think Greek letters and college brothers.
  3. Hint 3: Short slang for a fraternity; starts with F.

Down

1 Down: Cruise shipHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a way to describe a large vessel for travel.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a big boat that takes people on vacations at sea.
  3. Hint 3: A term for a passenger ship; starts with L.
2 Down: Country with the Taj MahalHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about a country famous for a stunning white monument.
  2. Hint 2: The Taj Mahal is located in this South Asian nation.
  3. Hint 3: A country in South Asia; starts with I.
3 Down: Smell, as of perfumeHint
  1. Hint 1: This relates to something you notice through your nose.
  2. Hint 2: Think of what perfume leaves behind in the air.
  3. Hint 3: A fragrance or odor; starts with S.
4 Down: Money paid to the governmentHint
  1. Hint 1: This is what you owe based on your income or purchases.
  2. Hint 2: Think of what's taken out of your paycheck for the government.
  3. Hint 3: A mandatory payment to the state; starts with T.
6 Down: Fertility treatment, for shortHint
  1. Hint 1: This relates to a medical procedure for having children.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a lab process where eggs and sperm meet outside the body.
  3. Hint 3: A common fertility treatment abbreviation; starts with I.

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 #332 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 4-Down and 6-Down; the four-letter slots are 1-Across, 5-Across, 7-Across and 8-Across; the five-letter slots are 6-Across, 1-Down, 2-Down and 3-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 6-Down, “Fertility treatment, for short”, is marked as a short form, so expect an abbreviated answer.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 5-Across, “Ancient Peruvian empire” and 2-Down, “Country with the Taj Mahal”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for August 28, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #332. 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 #331 (August 27, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Belonging to him”; the day after, Mini #333 (August 29, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Note that says ‘I owe you’”.

August 28, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 28, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 28, 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/2026-08-28 reveals one answer at a time.