Skip to main content
Mini #346 · Friday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — September 11, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #346, 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: Received or obtainedHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how you'd describe something that's now in your possession.
  2. Hint 2: This is the past tense of a common verb meaning to acquire something.
  3. Hint 3: It means received or acquired, and it starts with G.
4 Across: Pop star Lady ___Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a celebrity name clue about a famous singer.
  2. Hint 2: She's known for hits like 'Poker Face' and wild fashion choices.
  3. Hint 3: Her first name follows 'Lady', and it starts with G.
5 Across: Short promotional description on a book jacketHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the back cover of a novel.
  2. Hint 2: This is the short glowing review or summary printed to promote a book.
  3. Hint 3: It's the promotional snippet on a book jacket, and it starts with B.
6 Across: Slowly seep out, as slimeHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how a thick liquid moves very slowly.
  2. Hint 2: This describes a gradual leaking or dripping motion, like something gooey escaping.
  3. Hint 3: It means to slowly seep out, and it starts with O.
7 Across: Be in debtHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a financial situation where you haven't paid someone back yet.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes the state of having an unpaid obligation to someone.
  3. Hint 3: It means to be in debt to someone, and it starts with O.

Down

1 Down: Thin fabric used to dress a woundHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about first-aid supplies.
  2. Hint 2: This is a thin, breathable material often used for bandaging cuts.
  3. Hint 3: It's the fabric used to dress a wound, and it starts with G.
2 Down: Fairy-tale giant, like ShrekHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about classic fairy-tale monsters.
  2. Hint 2: This is a large, often green, brutish creature famous from an animated movie about a swamp-dweller.
  3. Hint 3: It's the type of giant creature Shrek is, and it starts with O.
3 Down: Restaurant billHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you get at the end of a meal out.
  2. Hint 2: This is the piece of paper listing what you owe after eating at a restaurant.
  3. Hint 3: It's the restaurant bill, and it starts with T.
4 Down: Give off a soft lightHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how certain objects emit gentle illumination.
  2. Hint 2: This describes emitting a soft, steady light, like embers or a nightlight.
  3. Hint 3: It means to give off a soft light, and it starts with G.
5 Down: Ghostly greetingHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a spooky Halloween sound.
  2. Hint 2: This is the classic word ghosts are said to shout to scare people.
  3. Hint 3: It's the ghostly greeting, and it starts with B.

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 #346 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, 7-Across, 3-Down and 5-Down; the four-letter slots are 4-Across, 6-Across, 2-Down and 4-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across and 1-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 4-Across, “Pop star Lady ___”, 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 4-Across, “Pop star Lady ___” and 2-Down, “Fairy-tale giant, like Shrek”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for September 11, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #346. 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 #345 (September 10, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “The opposite of bad”; the day after, Mini #347 (September 12, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Sounds from a disapproving crowd”.

September 11, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 11, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own September 11, 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/2026-09-11 reveals one answer at a time.