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Mini #368 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — October 3, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #368, 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: Phone programs, for shortHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what's on your smartphone's home screen.
  2. Hint 2: These are the little icons you tap to open things like games or email.
  3. Hint 3: It means software programs on a mobile device, and it starts with A.
5 Across: Common sans-serif fontHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about typography used in documents and design.
  2. Hint 2: It's one of the most widely used default fonts on computers, known for its clean, simple look.
  3. Hint 3: It's a typeface without decorative strokes, and it starts with A.
6 Across: Prima ___ (opera's leading lady)Hint
  1. Hint 1: This phrase comes from the world of opera.
  2. Hint 2: It's the title given to the leading female singer in a production.
  3. Hint 3: It means the star female performer, and it starts with D.
7 Across: Crooked or tiltedHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about something that isn't sitting straight.
  2. Hint 2: A picture frame might look like this if it's not hung properly.
  3. Hint 3: It describes something slanted or off-center, and it starts with A.
8 Across: Cluttered state of a messy roomHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes a space that needs tidying.
  2. Hint 2: It's the overall disorder you'd see in a room full of clutter.
  3. Hint 3: It's a short word for chaos or untidiness, and it starts with M.

Down

1 Down: Got up from bedHint
  1. Hint 1: This is something you do each morning.
  2. Hint 2: It describes the action of leaving your bed after sleeping.
  3. Hint 3: It means stood up or woke and got out of bed, and it starts with A.
2 Down: Shades of light redHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a color family often associated with blush or roses.
  2. Hint 2: These are lighter variations of a reddish color.
  3. Hint 3: It refers to pale red hues, and it starts with P.
3 Down: Window glass sectionsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the parts that make up a window.
  2. Hint 2: These are the individual glass sections held together by a frame.
  3. Hint 3: It means segments of glass in a window, and it starts with P.
4 Down: Shredded cabbage side dishHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a popular side dish at barbecues.
  2. Hint 2: It's made from finely cut cabbage mixed with a creamy dressing.
  3. Hint 3: It's a shredded cabbage salad, and it starts with S.
5 Down: First man, in the BibleHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a figure from the opening of the Bible.
  2. Hint 2: He was the first human created, according to Genesis.
  3. Hint 3: It's the name of humanity's first man, and it starts with A.

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 #368 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, 8-Across, 4-Down and 5-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across, 6-Across, 7-Across, 1-Down, 2-Down and 3-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 6-Across, “Prima ___ (opera's leading lady)”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • 1-Across, “Phone programs, for short”, is marked as a short form, so expect an abbreviated answer.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 5-Down, “First man, in the Bible”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 3, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #368. 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 #367 (October 2, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Vehicles in a garage”.

October 3, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 3, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 3, 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/2026-10-03 reveals one answer at a time.