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Mini #367 · Friday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — October 2, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #367, 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: Vehicles in a garageHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you'd find parked in a garage.
  2. Hint 2: These are things with wheels and engines that you drive around.
  3. Hint 3: A word for automobiles in general, starts with C.
5 Across: The remaining oneHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes what's left when everything else has been accounted for.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a word meaning 'the one not already mentioned.'
  3. Hint 3: A word meaning alternative or different, starts with O.
7 Across: Green fruit on a pizza or in a martiniHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a small food item often found on pizzas or in cocktails.
  2. Hint 2: It's a small dark or green fruit, often pitted and briny, floating in a martini glass.
  3. Hint 3: A fruit used for its oil and as a garnish, starts with O.
8 Across: Jury group, or a flat section of a doorHint
  1. Hint 1: This word has two very different meanings — one about people, one about construction.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a group of citizens who decide a legal case, or a flat board making up part of a door.
  3. Hint 3: A word for a group of judges or a door's flat segment, starts with P.
9 Across: Japanese electronics giantHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a famous company name from Japan.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a major electronics brand known for PlayStation and Walkman.
  3. Hint 3: A Japanese tech giant's name, starts with S.

Down

1 Down: HenhouseHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of where chickens live.
  2. Hint 2: It's a small enclosed shelter built to house poultry.
  3. Hint 3: A word for a chicken's home, starts with C.
2 Down: Book of mapsHint
  1. Hint 1: This is something you'd use to find your way around the world.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a bound collection of maps.
  3. Hint 3: A book full of geographic charts, starts with A.
3 Down: Large horned African animalHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a large wild animal found in Africa.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a thick-skinned animal known for the horn on its nose.
  3. Hint 3: A big African mammal with a horned snout, starts with R.
4 Down: Number after sixHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a simple math question about counting.
  2. Hint 2: Think of what comes right after six when counting up.
  3. Hint 3: The number following six, starts with S.
6 Down: Depend (on)Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you do when you trust something to support or help you.
  2. Hint 2: This means to lean on or count on something for support.
  3. Hint 3: A verb meaning to trust or count on, starts with R.

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 #367 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

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 3-Down, “Large horned African animal”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 2, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #367. 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 #366 (October 1, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “New York City taxis”.

October 2, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 2, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 2, 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/2026-10-02 reveals one answer at a time.