Our Mini Crossword Hints — October 12, 2026

Across

1 Across: Suitcases and totesHint

Hint 1: Think about what you'd pack for a trip.
Hint 2: These are containers for carrying your belongings, like luggage or purses.
Hint 3: A general word for luggage or sacks, it starts with B.

5 Across: Bean used to make chocolateHint

Hint 1: This is a food and farming clue about a tropical plant.
Hint 2: This bean is roasted and ground to make cocoa and chocolate products.
Hint 3: The seed used to make chocolate, it starts with C.

6 Across: Ring-shaped coral islandHint

Hint 1: Picture a tropical island seen from above.
Hint 2: It's a circular reef or island of coral surrounding a lagoon.
Hint 3: A ring-shaped coral island, it starts with A.

7 Across: Tear into tiny piecesHint

Hint 1: Think about what happens to paper you don't need anymore.
Hint 2: This means to rip something into small strips or pieces, often done to documents.
Hint 3: To tear into tiny pieces, it starts with S.

8 Across: Chickens that lay eggsHint

Hint 1: These are common farm birds.
Hint 2: Female chickens are known for laying the eggs you find at breakfast.
Hint 3: Egg-laying farm birds, it starts with H.

Down

1 Down: Take a dip in the tubHint

Hint 1: This is something you do to get clean.
Hint 2: It means to wash yourself by soaking in water, often in a tub.
Hint 3: To soak and wash yourself, it starts with B.

2 Down: Nut that grows on an oakHint

Hint 1: Think of something squirrels love to collect.
Hint 2: This nut comes from an oak tree and has a little cap on top.
Hint 3: The nut of an oak tree, it starts with A.

3 Down: Strong windsHint

Hint 1: This is a weather term.
Hint 2: These are powerful windstorms often mentioned in weather forecasts.
Hint 3: Strong, forceful winds, it starts with G.

4 Down: No longer available at the storeHint

Hint 1: Think about a store sign you might see on an item.
Hint 2: This describes something that has already been purchased and is no longer in stock.
Hint 3: No longer available because it was bought, it starts with S.

5 Down: Coins and billsHint

Hint 1: This is about money you can physically hold.
Hint 2: It refers to coins and paper money, as opposed to credit or checks.
Hint 3: Physical money like coins and bills, it starts with C.

Before you open a hint

Mini #377 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

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 3-Down, “Strong winds”, at two words; the longest is 1-Down, “Take a dip in the tub”, at six words.

More for October 12, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #377. 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 #376 (October 11, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Cut with an axe”.

October 12, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 12, 2026 Mini Crossword?

Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 12, 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/2026-10-12 reveals one answer at a time.