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Mini #387 · Thursday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: October 22, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #387, 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: Without any hair on topHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a description of someone's head of hair, or lack thereof.
  2. Hint 2: This describes someone who is completely hairless on their scalp, like a classic image of someone shaving their head.
  3. Hint 3: It means hairless on the head, and it starts with B.
5 Across: God, in IslamHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a term for the divine, used in a major world religion.
  2. Hint 2: Muslims refer to the one supreme being by this Arabic name in their prayers.
  3. Hint 3: It's the Arabic word for God used in Islam, and it starts with A.
7 Across: Nurse Barton of the Red CrossHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a famous historical figure in nursing and humanitarian work.
  2. Hint 2: She founded the American Red Cross and is often called the 'Angel of the Battlefield'.
  3. Hint 3: Her first name is the answer, a founder of the Red Cross, and it starts with C.
8 Across: Houses where people liveHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about where people reside, in plural form.
  2. Hint 2: These are the structures or dwellings people live inside, not just one but many.
  3. Hint 3: It means places where people live, plural, and it starts with H.
9 Across: Run through the laundryHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a chore involving dirty clothes.
  2. Hint 2: This is what you do to clothes to get them clean, often in a machine.
  3. Hint 3: It means to clean clothing, and it starts with W.

Down

1 Down: Composer Johann Sebastian ___Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a famous classical music composer from Germany.
  2. Hint 2: This composer wrote the Brandenburg Concertos and is known for Baroque masterpieces.
  3. Hint 3: His surname is the answer, a Baroque composer, and it starts with B.
2 Down: Give permission toHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about granting someone the ability to do something.
  2. Hint 2: This means to say yes or authorize someone to do something.
  3. Hint 3: It means to permit, and it starts with A.
3 Down: Woolly Andean animal related to the camelHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a fluffy animal found high in the mountains of South America.
  2. Hint 2: This animal is related to camels and is known for its soft wool, often confused with an alpaca.
  3. Hint 3: It's a South American pack animal with wool, and it starts with L.
4 Down: Boldly challengesHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about acting with courage to challenge someone.
  2. Hint 2: This means to confront or provoke someone fearlessly, often used in the phrase 'truth or ___'.
  3. Hint 3: It means challenges boldly, and it starts with D.
6 Down: Diced-potato breakfast dishHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a breakfast food made from small chopped potatoes.
  2. Hint 2: This dish is often served fried with onions and sometimes corned beef, popular at breakfast diners.
  3. Hint 3: It's a diced potato breakfast dish, and it starts with H.

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 #387 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

  • 1-Down, “Composer Johann Sebastian ___”, 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 5-Across, “God, in Islam”, 7-Across, “Nurse Barton of the Red Cross”, 1-Down, “Composer Johann Sebastian ___” and 3-Down, “Woolly Andean animal related to the camel”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 22, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #387. 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 #386 (October 21, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Prisoner's room”.

October 22, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 22, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 22, 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/2026-10-22 reveals one answer at a time.