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Mini Crossword Hints — September 16, 2026

Open one clue at a time. Each row moves from gentle nudge to stronger help without revealing the full answer.

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All hints
10 clues
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Across

1 Across: The alphabet, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how kids learn letters in school.
  2. Hint 2: It's a casual short way to refer to the basics of reading and writing.
  3. Hint 3: A shortened term for the alphabet itself, starts with A.
5 Across: Drink noisilyHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes a sound someone makes while drinking.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the noisy sound made when sipping soup or a milkshake through a straw.
  3. Hint 3: To drink in a loud, sipping way, starts with S.
6 Across: One who doesn't winHint
  1. Hint 1: This word describes the opposite of a champion.
  2. Hint 2: Think of someone who comes in last place in a competition.
  3. Hint 3: A person who fails to win, starts with L.
7 Across: Restless and fidgetyHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who can't sit still.
  2. Hint 2: Think of how someone feels right before an exam, full of nervous energy.
  3. Hint 3: Feeling nervous and unable to relax, starts with A.
8 Across: Annoying insectHint
  1. Hint 1: This is something that bugs you, literally.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a bothersome bug or insect that buzzes around at picnics.
  3. Hint 3: A bothersome insect, starts with P.

Down

1 Down: By oneselfHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes being without company.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the feeling of solitude, doing something with no one else around.
  3. Hint 3: Being by yourself, starts with A.
2 Down: Police raids, or sculptures of heads and shouldersHint
  1. Hint 1: This word has two very different meanings - one about police, one about art.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a police operation that catches criminals, or a statue showing just the head and shoulders.
  3. Hint 3: Police raids or sculpted head-and-shoulder statues, starts with B.
3 Down: Top of a wave or hillHint
  1. Hint 1: This is the highest point of something curved.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the peak of a wave right before it breaks, or the top of a hill.
  3. Hint 3: The highest point of a wave or hill, starts with C.
4 Down: Nimble and livelyHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who moves with ease and energy.
  2. Hint 2: Think of how an athletic older person might be described, full of pep and quickness.
  3. Hint 3: Being agile and full of energy, starts with S.
5 Down: A quick hit with an open handHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a quick physical action often done in frustration or as a joke.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the sound and motion of an open hand striking someone lightly.
  3. Hint 3: A quick strike with an open hand, starts with S.

Use hints slowly

Reveal the first hint, try the grid again, then come back only if the crossing letters still do not move.

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September 16, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 16, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is for the September 16, 2026 puzzle, with three progressive hints each — from a gentle nudge to a stronger push, but never the full answer.
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/2026-09-16 reveals one answer at a time.