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Mini #333 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 29, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #333, 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: Note that says "I owe you"Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a short slip of paper you'd hand someone after borrowing money.
  2. Hint 2: It's a playful way of writing out the phrase 'I owe you' using just sounds of letters.
  3. Hint 3: This informal debt note starts with I.
4 Across: Basil, thyme and oreganoHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue lists a few common kitchen seasonings.
  2. Hint 2: Basil, thyme, and oregano are all types of these fragrant plants used to flavor food.
  3. Hint 3: The general word for these flavorful plants starts with H.
6 Across: Sag or wiltHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how a wilting flower or a tired body might act.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes something hanging down limply or losing energy, like eyelids getting heavy.
  3. Hint 3: To sag or hang loosely starts with D.
7 Across: Sources of coal or goldHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about where valuable resources like metals or fuel come from.
  2. Hint 2: These are underground sites where workers dig up things like coal or precious metals.
  3. Hint 3: Places where coal or gold is extracted start with M.
8 Across: Those in power, with "the"Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a short slangy phrase about political power.
  2. Hint 2: It refers to whichever party or group currently holds control, as opposed to being 'out.'
  3. Hint 3: This three-letter word for those currently in power starts with I.

Down

1 Down: Presses wrinkles out of clothesHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a household chore involving hot metal and fabric.
  2. Hint 2: This is what you do to a wrinkled shirt using a hot appliance to smooth it out.
  3. Hint 3: The act of smoothing clothes with heat starts with I.
2 Down: Woodwind with a double reedHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a musical instrument played in an orchestra.
  2. Hint 2: It's a slender woodwind instrument known for its nasal, reedy tone, often used in classical music.
  3. Hint 3: This instrument with a double reed starts with O.
3 Down: Mail-delivery org.Hint
  1. Hint 1: This clue refers to a government organization you might use to send letters.
  2. Hint 2: It's the abbreviation for the agency responsible for delivering mail across the country.
  3. Hint 3: This mail service acronym starts with U.
4 Down: Cable that carries video and audioHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how you connect a game console or laptop to a TV.
  2. Hint 2: This is the common cable type used to transmit both high-definition video and audio together.
  3. Hint 3: This connector type starts with H.
5 Down: Nickname for IrelandHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a poetic or affectionate name for a country in Europe.
  2. Hint 2: It's often used in songs and toasts to refer fondly to the Emerald Isle.
  3. Hint 3: This nickname for Ireland starts with E.

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 #333 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-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

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 5-Down, “Nickname for Ireland”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for August 29, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #333. 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 #332 (August 28, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Grocery shopper's checklist”; the day after, Mini #334 (August 30, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Homer Simpson's frustrated cry”.

August 29, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 29, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 29, 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/2026-08-29 reveals one answer at a time.