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Mini #378 · Tuesday

Our Mini Crossword Hints — October 13, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #378, 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
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Across

1 Across: African country south of LibyaHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue is about world geography and national borders.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a large African nation whose name is also a slang word for a lake-bed.
  3. Hint 3: It's a landlocked country just south of Libya, starts with C.
5 Across: Helpers or assistantsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about people who support or assist others in a task.
  2. Hint 2: These are the folks who help a leader get things done, like assistants to a boss.
  3. Hint 3: It means helpers or assistants, starts with A.
7 Across: Fish for compliments, or post nasty comments onlineHint
  1. Hint 1: This word has two very different meanings, one about fishing and one about internet behavior.
  2. Hint 2: Think of someone who stirs up trouble online with provocative posts, or an old phrase about angling for praise.
  3. Hint 3: It means to fish for compliments or to post inflammatory comments, starts with T.
8 Across: Dish up dinner, or start a tennis pointHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue mixes cooking and sports.
  2. Hint 2: Think of what a waiter does with food, or what a player does to begin a point in tennis.
  3. Hint 3: It means to present food or to start play in a game like tennis, starts with S.
9 Across: Good ___ (kind act)Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is a common two-word phrase about kindness.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the phrase describing a kind, helpful action someone does for another.
  3. Hint 3: It completes 'Good ___' meaning a kind act, starts with D.

Down

1 Down: Purring petsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about common household pets.
  2. Hint 2: These furry animals are known for making a soft rumbling sound when content.
  3. Hint 3: They are small domesticated felines, starts with C.
2 Down: Taken on for a jobHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about employment and job offers.
  2. Hint 2: This describes someone who was chosen and brought on for a position.
  3. Hint 3: It means taken on for a job, starts with H.
3 Down: Love deeplyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about strong feelings of affection.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a word stronger than 'like', describing deep love or admiration.
  3. Hint 3: It means to love deeply, starts with A.
4 Down: Dig into a subjectHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about exploring a topic in detail.
  2. Hint 2: Think of what a researcher does when they dig into details of a subject.
  3. Hint 3: It means to investigate or dig into thoroughly, starts with D.
6 Down: Snowy hill rideHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about a winter activity on snowy hills.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the vehicle kids use to slide down snowy slopes.
  3. Hint 3: It's a small vehicle used for sliding on snow, 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 #378 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

  • 9-Across, “Good ___ (kind act)”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 1-Across, “African country south of Libya”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 13, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #378. 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 #377 (October 12, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Suitcases and totes”.

October 13, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 13, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 13, 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/2026-10-13 reveals one answer at a time.