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Mini Crossword Hints — September 20, 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: Tool for chopping woodHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a tool you'd use outdoors for cutting.
  2. Hint 2: It's the sharp-bladed tool a lumberjack swings to split logs.
  3. Hint 3: A cutting tool with a heavy blade on a handle, starts with A.
4 Across: Take on for a jobHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about bringing someone onto a team.
  2. Hint 2: It's what a company does when they employ a new worker.
  3. Hint 3: To employ someone for work, starts with H.
5 Across: Olympic award for first, second, or third placeHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what athletes receive at the end of a competition.
  2. Hint 2: It's the round metal disc hung around a winner's neck.
  3. Hint 3: A prize given for placing in a competition, starts with M.
6 Across: Color between black and whiteHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a color often associated with clouds or fog.
  2. Hint 2: It's the neutral shade you get mixing black and white paint.
  3. Hint 3: A dull, neutral color between light and dark, starts with G.
7 Across: Stylish, in 1960s slangHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of retro slang from the swinging sixties in Britain.
  2. Hint 2: It describes someone fashionable, often linked to sharp suits and scooters.
  3. Hint 3: Old-fashioned slang for trendy or fashionable, starts with M.

Down

1 Down: Helped outHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes giving someone assistance.
  2. Hint 2: It's the past tense of lending a hand to someone in need.
  3. Hint 3: Means gave assistance to someone, starts with A.
2 Down: Image taken to check for broken bonesHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what doctors use to look inside the body.
  2. Hint 2: It's the black-and-white picture that reveals your skeleton.
  3. Hint 3: A medical image used to spot fractures, starts with X.
3 Down: Slippery fishHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a long, slithery sea creature.
  2. Hint 2: It's a snake-like fish known for being hard to hold onto.
  3. Hint 3: A slimy, elongated fish, starts with E.
4 Down: Sandwich that's also a brave personHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue has a double meaning involving food and courage.
  2. Hint 2: It's a long sandwich as well as a word for a brave person or a movie protagonist.
  3. Hint 3: Both a submarine sandwich and a courageous figure, starts with H.
5 Down: Movie studio with a roaring lion logoHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a famous Hollywood movie studio.
  2. Hint 2: Its logo features a roaring big cat before the film starts.
  3. Hint 3: A classic film studio known for its lion mascot, 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.

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September 20, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 20, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is for the September 20, 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/2026-09-20 reveals one answer at a time.