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Mini #359 · Thursday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — September 24, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #359, 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: Flying mammals of the nightHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about creatures that come out after dark.
  2. Hint 2: These winged mammals sleep upside down in caves and hunt using echoes.
  3. Hint 3: A flying nocturnal creature; starts with B.
5 Across: Not asleepHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who hasn't drifted off yet.
  2. Hint 2: The opposite of sleeping, fully alert and conscious.
  3. Hint 3: Not sleeping at all; starts with A.
7 Across: Spoken through the nose, like some voicesHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes a certain quality of speech or voice.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a stuffy-sounding voice, like when you have a cold, coming through the nose.
  3. Hint 3: Sounding like it's spoken through the nose; starts with N.
8 Across: "Same here"Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a short phrase people say to agree with what someone just said.
  2. Hint 2: It's a casual way of saying 'me too' or 'the same goes for me.'
  3. Hint 3: A phrase showing agreement or shared feeling; starts with D.
9 Across: Person aged 13 to 19Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think of the stage of life often marked by school, growth spurts, and independence-seeking.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes someone in their adolescent years, often between childhood and adulthood.
  3. Hint 3: Someone in the age range right before adulthood; starts with T.

Down

1 Down: Musical group with a drummer and guitaristHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a group of musicians who perform together.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes a set of people playing instruments like guitar and drums as a team.
  3. Hint 3: A group of musicians performing together; starts with B.
2 Down: Wait forHint
  1. Hint 1: This means to stay in place until something happens.
  2. Hint 2: You do this when you're expecting someone or something to arrive.
  3. Hint 3: To stay ready until something comes; starts with A.
3 Down: Sense you use to enjoy foodHint
  1. Hint 1: This is one of your five senses, closely tied to eating.
  2. Hint 2: You use this sense to notice sweetness, saltiness, or bitterness in food.
  3. Hint 3: The sense used to enjoy flavors; starts with T.
4 Down: Glide across ice on bladesHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a winter activity done at a rink or frozen pond.
  2. Hint 2: You do this by moving smoothly across ice wearing special footwear with blades.
  3. Hint 3: To glide across ice using blades; starts with S.
6 Down: Tech billionaire MuskHint
  1. Hint 1: This is the first name of a famous entrepreneur known for electric cars and space rockets.
  2. Hint 2: He founded companies like Tesla and SpaceX and often makes headlines with his tweets.
  3. Hint 3: First name of the billionaire behind SpaceX; starts with E.

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 #359 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

  • 8-Across, “Same here”, is written as a quotation, so the answer is usually something you could say with the same meaning.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 6-Down, “Tech billionaire Musk”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for September 24, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #359. 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 #358 (September 23, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “A soak in the tub”.

September 24, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 24, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own September 24, 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/2026-09-24 reveals one answer at a time.