Skip to main content
Mini #389 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: October 24, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #389, 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: Morning moisture on the grassHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you might notice on a lawn early in the day.
  2. Hint 2: It's the tiny water droplets that form overnight as temperatures cool.
  3. Hint 3: This weather phenomenon that wets grass at dawn starts with D.
4 Across: Deserve, or a gold star's rewardHint
  1. Hint 1: This word is about earning something through effort or worth.
  2. Hint 2: It's what you do to earn praise, like when a teacher gives recognition for good work.
  3. Hint 3: Meaning 'to be worthy of' or 'to earn,' this word starts with M.
6 Across: Playground chuteHint
  1. Hint 1: Picture something you'd find at a park for kids to play on.
  2. Hint 2: It's the smooth, sloped structure kids climb up and slip down on.
  3. Hint 3: This playground equipment for sliding down starts with S.
7 Across: Big name in camerasHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a well-known company in photography and imaging.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a major Japanese brand that makes DSLRs and camera lenses.
  3. Hint 3: This camera manufacturer's name starts with N.
8 Across: Carpenter's cutting toolHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a basic tool found in almost every toolbox.
  2. Hint 2: It's the hand tool with a toothed blade used to cut through wood.
  3. Hint 3: This cutting tool used by woodworkers starts with S.

Down

1 Down: Shops selling sandwiches and cold cutsHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about places you'd go to grab a quick lunch.
  2. Hint 2: These are shops known for selling cold cuts and made-to-order sandwiches.
  3. Hint 3: The plural word for sandwich shops starts with D.
2 Down: Woman's name, a variant of EricaHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a first name, similar to another common name but spelled a bit differently.
  2. Hint 2: It's a feminine given name that's a spelling variant of a very similar-sounding name.
  3. Hint 3: This name, a variant of Erica, starts with E.
3 Down: Woman whose husband has diedHint
  1. Hint 1: This term describes a specific marital status after loss.
  2. Hint 2: It's the word for a woman whose spouse has passed away.
  3. Hint 3: This term for a woman who has lost her husband starts with W.
4 Down: Microsoft's web portal, onceHint
  1. Hint 1: Think back to early internet service and web portals from a major tech company.
  2. Hint 2: This was Microsoft's popular online service and homepage back in the day.
  3. Hint 3: This abbreviation for Microsoft's web portal starts with M.
5 Down: Number after nineHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a simple number clue involving basic counting.
  2. Hint 2: It's the number that comes right after nine when counting up.
  3. Hint 3: This number right after nine 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 #389 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 three-letter slots are 1-Across, 8-Across, 4-Down and 5-Down; the five-letter slots are 4-Across, 6-Across, 7-Across, 1-Down, 2-Down and 3-Down.

Clues to try first

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 2-Down, “Woman's name, a variant of Erica”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 24, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #389. 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 #388 (October 23, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “In the middle of”.

October 24, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 24, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 24, 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/2026-10-24 reveals one answer at a time.