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Mini #335 · Monday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — August 31, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #335, 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: First stop in baseballHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the layout of a baseball diamond.
  2. Hint 2: A runner touches this bag right after hitting the ball, before heading to second.
  3. Hint 3: It's the first cushion a batter reaches after a hit, starting with B.
5 Across: The dominant one in the packHint
  1. Hint 1: This word describes the top dog in a group of animals or people.
  2. Hint 2: Wolves have one leader often called this in nature documentaries.
  3. Hint 3: It means the most dominant or first in rank, starting with A.
6 Across: Looks after, or feels concernHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of what a nurse or a worried parent does.
  2. Hint 2: This word means to look after someone or to feel worry about something.
  3. Hint 3: It's the verb for showing concern or providing for someone, starting with C.
7 Across: Girl's name that sounds like a Dickinson poetHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a common girl's first name.
  2. Hint 2: It sounds just like the last name of the famous reclusive poet from Amherst.
  3. Hint 3: It's a popular female first name that rhymes with the poet's surname, starting with E.
8 Across: Convince someone to buyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is what a salesperson tries to do with a product.
  2. Hint 2: It means to persuade someone to make a purchase.
  3. Hint 3: It's the verb for convincing someone to buy something, starting with S.

Down

1 Down: Point the finger atHint
  1. Hint 1: This phrase is about assigning fault.
  2. Hint 2: It means to accuse someone or hold them responsible for something.
  3. Hint 3: It's the verb for pointing the finger at someone, starting with B.
2 Down: Month with showers, they sayHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a spring month known for its wet weather saying.
  2. Hint 2: It's the month that famously brings May flowers according to the old rhyme.
  3. Hint 3: It's the fourth month of the year, starting with A.
3 Down: What you crack to reach a nutHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what covers a walnut or an egg.
  2. Hint 2: You break this hard outer layer to get to the edible part inside a nut.
  3. Hint 3: It's the hard covering you crack open to reach a nut's center, starting with S.
4 Down: Not difficultHint
  1. Hint 1: This word is the opposite of hard or difficult.
  2. Hint 2: It describes something simple or requiring little effort.
  3. Hint 3: It's the word meaning simple or not difficult, starting with E.
5 Down: Perfect serves in tennisHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a tennis term for an unreturnable serve.
  2. Hint 2: When a serve is so good the opponent can't even touch it, this is what it's called.
  3. Hint 3: It's the plural term for unbeatable tennis serves, starting with A.

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 #335 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

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 7-Across, “Girl's name that sounds like a Dickinson poet”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for August 31, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #335. 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 #334 (August 30, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Homer Simpson's frustrated cry”; the day after, Mini #336 (September 1, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Vampire's pointy tooth”.

August 31, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the August 31, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own August 31, 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/2026-08-31 reveals one answer at a time.