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Mini #348 · Sunday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — September 13, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #348, 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: Slightly open, as a doorHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the state of a door that's not fully closed nor fully open.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes something cracked open just a little bit, like leaving a window not sealed shut.
  3. Hint 3: It means partly open, starts with A.
5 Across: Person who prefers to be aloneHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone's social preference.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a person who enjoys solitude and avoids crowds or company.
  3. Hint 3: It means someone who likes being by themselves, starts with L.
7 Across: From a past point until nowHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a word about time, connecting a past moment to the present.
  2. Hint 2: You'd use this word to say something has been true continuously starting at some earlier time.
  3. Hint 3: It means from then until now, starts with S.
8 Across: Layered vegetable that can make you cryHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a common kitchen vegetable known for its layers.
  2. Hint 2: Chopping this vegetable releases a chemical that irritates your eyes and causes tears.
  3. Hint 3: It's a round layered vegetable, starts with O.
9 Across: Shipped off, as a letterHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what happens to a letter after you finish writing it and mail it.
  2. Hint 2: This is the past tense of mailing or delivering something to someone else.
  3. Hint 3: It means dispatched or mailed, starts with S.

Down

1 Down: In addition; tooHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a small connecting word used to add something extra to a sentence.
  2. Hint 2: You'd use this word to mean 'as well' or 'furthermore.'
  3. Hint 3: It means in addition, starts with A.
2 Down: Connects togetherHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what happens when two things are linked or united.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes bringing separate pieces together into one.
  3. Hint 3: It means links or unites, starts with J.
3 Down: Little orphan of BroadwayHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a famous character from a musical and comic strip.
  2. Hint 2: She's a curly red-haired orphan who sings 'Tomorrow' and has a dog named Sandy.
  3. Hint 3: She's the title character of a classic Broadway musical, starts with A.
4 Down: Military scouting mission, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a shortened, casual term used in military contexts.
  2. Hint 2: Soldiers do this kind of mission to gather information about enemy positions.
  3. Hint 3: It means a scouting or reconnaissance mission, starts with R.
6 Down: Monthly payment to a landlordHint
  1. Hint 1: This is something you pay regularly if you don't own your home.
  2. Hint 2: Tenants hand this payment over to their landlord, usually once a month.
  3. Hint 3: It means the monthly housing payment, starts with R.

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 #348 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, 9-Across, 1-Down and 6-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across, 7-Across, 8-Across, 2-Down, 3-Down and 4-Down.

Clues to try first

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 3-Down, “Little orphan of Broadway”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for September 13, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #348. 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 #347 (September 12, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Sounds from a disapproving crowd”; the day after, Mini #349 (September 14, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Sound after a big drink of soda”.

September 13, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 13, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own September 13, 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/2026-09-13 reveals one answer at a time.