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Mini #394 · Thursday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: October 29, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #394, 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: Gentle collision, or a swelling from oneHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a minor accident or an unexpected encounter.
  2. Hint 2: It's also the word for the lump you get after hitting your head on something.
  3. Hint 3: A light knock or the resulting swelling, starts with B.
5 Across: Mount ___, where Moses received the Ten CommandmentsHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a biblical geography clue about a famous mountain.
  2. Hint 2: It's the peak associated with the giving of sacred law in the Bible.
  3. Hint 3: Biblical mountain where the Ten Commandments were given, starts with S.
6 Across: Dusty storage space under a roofHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about the top part of a house.
  2. Hint 2: It's the space right under the roof where people store old boxes and furniture.
  3. Hint 3: Storage area under a roof, starts with A.
7 Across: Straps for steering a horseHint
  1. Hint 1: This has to do with horseback riding equipment.
  2. Hint 2: You hold these to guide and control a horse while riding.
  3. Hint 3: Leather straps used to steer a horse, starts with R.
8 Across: Small islandHint
  1. Hint 1: Think geography, something surrounded by water.
  2. Hint 2: It's a smaller version of a landmass completely surrounded by water.
  3. Hint 3: A small piece of land surrounded by water, starts with I.

Down

1 Down: Small mouthfuls of foodHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about eating in small amounts.
  2. Hint 2: These are little portions of food you pop in your mouth, like appetizers.
  3. Hint 3: Small portions of food you eat quickly, starts with B.
2 Down: Up to the time ofHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a word about time and limits.
  2. Hint 2: It means 'before' a certain point in time arrives.
  3. Hint 3: Means up to a certain point in time, starts with U.
3 Down: U.S. state known for lobsterHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a U.S. state in New England.
  2. Hint 2: It's famous for its seafood, especially a certain crustacean.
  3. Hint 3: Northeastern state known for lobster, starts with M.
4 Down: Snapshots, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about photography, but casually phrased.
  2. Hint 2: It's the short, informal way people refer to photographs.
  3. Hint 3: Casual term for photographs, starts with P.
5 Down: Draped garment worn in IndiaHint
  1. Hint 1: This is clothing from South Asia.
  2. Hint 2: It's a long piece of fabric wrapped around the body, traditional in India.
  3. Hint 3: Traditional Indian garment, 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 #394 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

  • 5-Across, “Mount ___, where Moses received the Ten Commandments”, 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, “Mount ___, where Moses received the Ten Commandments” and 5-Down, “Draped garment worn in India”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 29, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #394. 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 #393 (October 28, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Physician, for short”.

October 29, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 29, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 29, 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/2026-10-29 reveals one answer at a time.