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Mini #354 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — September 19, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #354, 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: Feel unwellHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue describes feeling under the weather.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a short word meaning to be sick or troubled by something.
  3. Hint 3: It means to suffer from illness, and it starts with A.
4 Across: Form or figureHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about the outline or structure of something.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a synonym for silhouette or mold, something you might describe an object's contour as.
  3. Hint 3: It means the outward form of something, and it starts with S.
6 Across: Islam's holy book, alternate spellingHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a religious reference to a major world faith, written the older English way.
  2. Hint 2: It's the central sacred text recited by Muslims worldwide, usually spelled Qur'an today.
  3. Hint 3: It's the older English spelling of Islam's holy scripture, and it starts with K.
7 Across: Old Apple music playersHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about older tech gadgets used for listening to music.
  2. Hint 2: These were popular portable devices before smartphones took over music playback.
  3. Hint 3: They're Apple's classic music players, and it starts with I.
8 Across: GentlemenHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a polite way to refer to a group of males.
  2. Hint 2: You might hear this word used in formal address like 'Ladies and...'.
  3. Hint 3: It simply means adult males, and it starts with M.

Down

1 Down: Moses's brother in the BibleHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a biblical family relation.
  2. Hint 2: He was the brother of Moses and served as a high priest in the Old Testament.
  3. Hint 3: He's Moses's sibling in scripture, and it starts with A.
2 Down: Apple tabletHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a piece of modern tech from a well-known company.
  2. Hint 2: It's a touchscreen device made by the same company known for iPhones.
  3. Hint 3: It's Apple's flat computing device, and it starts with I.
3 Down: Camera part that focuses lightHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a part found inside cameras and glasses.
  2. Hint 2: It's the curved piece of glass that bends light to create an image.
  3. Hint 3: It's the optical part that focuses light, and it starts with L.
4 Down: Read quickly, or remove from milk's surfaceHint
  1. Hint 1: This word has two meanings related to speed and dairy.
  2. Hint 2: It can mean reading fast or taking cream off the top of milk.
  3. Hint 3: It means to glance over quickly or remove the top layer, and it starts with S.
5 Down: Optimistic feelingHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a positive emotional state about the future.
  2. Hint 2: It's the feeling you have when you expect good things to happen.
  3. Hint 3: It means optimism or expectation of something good, and it starts with H.

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

Clues to try first

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 7-Across, “Old Apple music players” and 1-Down, “Moses's brother in the Bible”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for September 19, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #354. 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 #353 (September 18, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Black-and-white whale also called a killer whale”; the day after, Mini #355 (September 20, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Tool for chopping wood”.

September 19, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 19, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own September 19, 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/2026-09-19 reveals one answer at a time.