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Mini #369 · Sunday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — October 4, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #369, 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: High-fiber part of a grain, found in some muffinsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what's inside a grain kernel that's good for digestion.
  2. Hint 2: This is the outer, fibrous layer often added to cereals and baked goods for extra fiber.
  3. Hint 3: It's the husk of a grain often found in muffins or flakes, starts with B.
5 Across: Colorful plastic building bricksHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a brand name for small interlocking plastic toy pieces.
  2. Hint 2: Kids build towers and castles by snapping these colorful blocks together.
  3. Hint 3: A toy brand famous for its stackable bricks, starts with L.
7 Across: From the Emerald IsleHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone or something from a specific European island nation.
  2. Hint 2: Think of shamrocks, leprechauns, and a country known for its green landscape.
  3. Hint 3: It means relating to Ireland or its people, starts with I.
8 Across: Prefix for a diet based on how cavemen ateHint
  1. Hint 1: This word often comes before 'diet' when referring to ancient eating habits.
  2. Hint 2: It refers to a diet mimicking what early humans supposedly ate, avoiding processed foods.
  3. Hint 3: A prefix meaning ancient or caveman-related, starts with P.
9 Across: Cozy home for birdsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about where birds make their home.
  2. Hint 2: It's the structure birds build, often in trees, to lay their eggs.
  3. Hint 3: A snug little shelter birds build, starts with N.

Down

1 Down: Little dot on a radar screenHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a term used in radar or sonar tracking.
  2. Hint 2: It's the small flashing mark that represents a detected object on a screen.
  3. Hint 3: A tiny signal or spot shown on a scanning device, starts with B.
2 Down: Showed again, as an old TV episodeHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what happens when a network airs an old show again.
  2. Hint 2: This means something was broadcast a second time, like a rerun.
  3. Hint 3: Past tense for showing something again on TV, starts with R.
3 Down: Nimble and quick on one's feetHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone light on their feet, maybe an athlete or dancer.
  2. Hint 2: It's a word for being physically quick and able to move with ease.
  3. Hint 3: Describes nimbleness and quick movement, starts with A.
4 Down: Things you smell with?Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the body part used for smelling.
  2. Hint 2: These are the organs on your face that detect scents.
  3. Hint 3: Plural for the facial feature used to smell things, starts with N.
6 Down: Attempt, or a small drink of whiskeyHint
  1. Hint 1: This word can mean either an effort or a small serving of a strong drink.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a bartender pouring a quick, small amount of whiskey.
  3. Hint 3: A single swift try, or a small glass of liquor, starts with S.

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 #369 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

  • 4-Down, “Things you smell with?”, ends in a question mark, which in crosswords usually signals wordplay.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 7-Across, “From the Emerald Isle” and 2-Down, “Showed again, as an old TV episode”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 4, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #369. 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 #368 (October 3, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Phone programs, for short”.

October 4, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 4, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 4, 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/2026-10-04 reveals one answer at a time.