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Mini #362 · Sunday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — September 27, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #362, 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: Heap of laundryHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what accumulates when clothes wait to be washed.
  2. Hint 2: It's a messy stack, like clothes tossed on the floor before laundry day.
  3. Hint 3: This word means a stacked-up mound of something, starts with P.
5 Across: Spoken, not writtenHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes how something is communicated, as opposed to being on paper.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a verbal exam versus a written one.
  3. Hint 3: This word describes speech rather than text, starts with O.
6 Across: Wall timepieceHint
  1. Hint 1: Picture something hanging on a wall to tell time.
  2. Hint 2: It's a household device with hands or numbers that ticks.
  3. Hint 3: This is a device you mount on a wall to check the hour, starts with C.
7 Across: Sound a pig makesHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of the noise a farm animal makes in the barnyard.
  2. Hint 2: It's the classic sound cartoons use for pigs.
  3. Hint 3: This is the grunt-like noise pigs make, starts with O.
8 Across: Blocks and dolls, e.g.Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what kids play with.
  2. Hint 2: Building blocks and action figures are two examples of these.
  3. Hint 3: This word refers to children's playthings in general, starts with T.

Down

1 Down: Disease prevented by a famous vaccineHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a serious illness that once caused paralysis worldwide.
  2. Hint 2: This disease was largely eradicated thanks to a vaccine developed by Salk and Sabin.
  3. Hint 3: This is a viral disease historically prevented by a landmark vaccine, starts with P.
2 Down: Rain on your wedding day, some sayHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a situation that's the opposite of what you'd expect or hope for.
  2. Hint 2: This is a literary term for an ironic twist, like the specific example in the clue.
  3. Hint 3: This word means a contradictory or unexpected outcome, starts with I.
3 Down: Doesn't haveHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about being without something.
  2. Hint 2: This means to be missing or in need of something.
  3. Hint 3: This word means to be without or deficient in something, starts with L.
4 Down: Large deer with big antlersHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a woodland animal known for its impressive rack.
  2. Hint 2: This large member of the deer family is famous for its massive antlers.
  3. Hint 3: This is a big deer species with large antlers, starts with E.
6 Down: Simple folding bedHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a lightweight bed used for camping or guest rooms.
  2. Hint 2: This is a portable bed that can be folded up when not in use.
  3. Hint 3: This word names a simple foldable bed, starts with C.

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 #362 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 4-Down and 6-Down; the four-letter slots are 1-Across, 5-Across, 7-Across and 8-Across; the five-letter slots are 6-Across, 1-Down, 2-Down and 3-Down.

Clues to try first

None of the ten clues is a fill-in-the-blank, a quotation, a question-mark clue or a marked short form. Read each one as a plain definition first. The shortest clue is 6-Across, “Wall timepiece”, at two words; the longest is 2-Down, “Rain on your wedding day, some say”, at seven words.

More for September 27, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #362. 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 #361 (September 26, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Managed-care plan, in brief”; the day after, Mini #363 (September 28, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Do-it-yourself, for short”.

September 27, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the September 27, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own September 27, 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/2026-09-27 reveals one answer at a time.