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Mini #385 · Tuesday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: October 20, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #385, 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: ForbidsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what rules or laws do to certain actions.
  2. Hint 2: This means to officially prohibit or outlaw something.
  3. Hint 3: To forbid something; starts with B.
5 Across: Burst forth, as a volcanoHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about sudden, forceful natural events.
  2. Hint 2: This is what lava does when it violently shoots out of a volcano.
  3. Hint 3: To burst out suddenly; starts with E.
7 Across: Spooky, like a haunted houseHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how a haunted house might feel at night.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes something creepy or unsettling in a ghostly way.
  3. Hint 3: Means spooky or unsettling; starts with E.
8 Across: Spaghetti or penneHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about Italian food made from flour and water.
  2. Hint 2: This is the general name for noodle dishes like spaghetti or penne.
  3. Hint 3: A general term for noodle dishes; starts with P.
9 Across: Appear to beHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about how something looks or comes across to others.
  2. Hint 2: This means to give the impression of being a certain way.
  3. Hint 3: Means to appear as; starts with S.

Down

1 Down: Car horn soundHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the sound a car makes to warn pedestrians.
  2. Hint 2: This is the short, sharp honking noise from a vehicle's horn.
  3. Hint 3: The sound of a car horn; starts with B.
2 Down: Regions or zonesHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about geography or dividing a map into sections.
  2. Hint 2: This word refers to distinct parts or territories of a place.
  3. Hint 3: Means zones or territories; starts with A.
3 Down: Hospital caregiverHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about who takes care of patients in a hospital.
  2. Hint 2: This person assists doctors and looks after sick people.
  3. Hint 3: A hospital caregiver; starts with N.
4 Down: Ill will toward someoneHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a strong negative feeling toward someone.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes a desire to harm or annoy someone out of resentment.
  3. Hint 3: Means ill will or malice; starts with S.
6 Down: Group that plays togetherHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about people working together toward a common goal.
  2. Hint 2: This word describes a group like a sports squad or work crew.
  3. Hint 3: A group that works together; starts with T.

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 #385 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

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 1-Across, “Forbids”, at one word; the longest is 5-Across, “Burst forth, as a volcano”, at five words.

More for October 20, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #385. 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 #384 (October 19, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “24-hour period”.

October 20, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 20, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 20, 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/2026-10-20 reveals one answer at a time.