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Mini #338 · Thursday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — September 3, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #338, 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: Grub, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a casual word for food.
  2. Hint 2: Think of slang you'd hear when someone says they're hungry and want to eat.
  3. Hint 3: It means food in a casual way, and it starts with C.
5 Across: Florida city with South BeachHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a well-known city in the Sunshine State.
  2. Hint 2: It's famous for its Art Deco district and a beach known for nightlife and celebrities.
  3. Hint 3: A Florida city known for its beach scene, and it starts with M.
6 Across: Not yet lit, as a candleHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the state of a candle before you use a match on it.
  2. Hint 2: This describes something that hasn't been set on fire yet.
  3. Hint 3: It means not yet burning, and it starts with U.
7 Across: Highlanders of ScotlandHint
  1. Hint 1: This word describes people from a mountainous region of a certain country.
  2. Hint 2: Think of kilts, bagpipes, and clans from the northern part of Britain.
  3. Hint 3: It refers to people from Scotland, and it starts with S.
8 Across: Flip, as a coinHint
  1. Hint 1: This is what you do to decide something randomly, like heads or tails.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the action of throwing something up in the air to make a quick decision.
  3. Hint 3: It means to flip something like a coin, and it starts with T.

Down

1 Down: Spanish for "five"Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a number word in another language.
  2. Hint 2: Think of counting in Spanish — this comes right after four.
  3. Hint 3: It's the Spanish word for the number five, and it starts with C.
2 Down: Angel's headgearHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of what heavenly beings are often shown wearing in art.
  2. Hint 2: These glowing rings appear above the heads of holy figures in paintings.
  3. Hint 3: They're the glowing rings above angels' heads, and it starts with H.
3 Down: Leaves outHint
  1. Hint 1: This means to leave something out on purpose.
  2. Hint 2: Think of what happens when information is skipped or excluded from a list.
  3. Hint 3: It means to exclude or skip something, and it starts with O.
4 Down: Sharp mental abilitiesHint
  1. Hint 1: This refers to someone's mental sharpness or cleverness.
  2. Hint 2: Think of quick thinking and cleverness, like having your 'sharp mind' about you.
  3. Hint 3: It means mental sharpness or cleverness, and it starts with W.
5 Down: Absolute necessityHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes something you absolutely can't do without.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a word that means something is essential or required, not optional.
  3. Hint 3: It describes something that's essential and required, and it starts with M.

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 #338 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 5-Across, “Florida city with South Beach” and 7-Across, “Highlanders of Scotland”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for September 3, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #338. 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 #337 (September 2, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Undergarment with cups”; the day after, Mini #339 (September 4, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Small shrub in a garden”.

September 3, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 3, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own September 3, 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/2026-09-03 reveals one answer at a time.