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Mini #400 · Wednesday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: November 4, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #400, 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: Shrub or hedge plantHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about plants found in gardens.
  2. Hint 2: It's a leafy, woody plant smaller than a tree, often used for hedges.
  3. Hint 3: A dense, leafy plant used for landscaping, starts with B.
5 Across: Italian poet who wrote the 'Divine Comedy'Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is about classic literature from Italy.
  2. Hint 2: He's the famous author who imagined journeys through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.
  3. Hint 3: The poet behind the epic 'Divine Comedy', starts with D.
6 Across: Country whose capital is New DelhiHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a geography question about South Asia.
  2. Hint 2: Its capital is a large city in the north, and it's home to over a billion people.
  3. Hint 3: A South Asian nation whose capital is New Delhi, starts with I.
7 Across: Forcibly remove, as a pilot from a cockpitHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about something done quickly and forcefully to remove someone.
  2. Hint 2: A pilot might use a special seat to do this when things go wrong.
  3. Hint 3: To forcibly throw someone out, like from a plane, starts with E.
8 Across: Socially awkward nerdHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who's a bit socially clumsy but smart.
  2. Hint 2: It's a playful word for someone overly focused on niche interests like computers or comics.
  3. Hint 3: A term for an awkward, bookish type, starts with D.

Down

1 Down: String instrument in bluegrass musicHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a musical instrument often heard in folk or country music.
  2. Hint 2: It's a stringed instrument with a round body, popular in bluegrass bands.
  3. Hint 3: A twangy stringed instrument, starts with B.
2 Down: Opposite of overHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about directional opposites.
  2. Hint 2: If something is above, this word describes being below it.
  3. Hint 3: The opposite of 'over', starts with U.
3 Down: Twig you might toss for a dog to fetchHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about something you'd find on the ground outdoors.
  2. Hint 2: It's a small branch that's perfect for a game of fetch with a dog.
  3. Hint 3: A thin piece of wood from a tree, starts with S.
4 Down: Warmth, or a sports playoff roundHint
  1. Hint 1: This word relates to temperature or sports competitions.
  2. Hint 2: It can mean warmth, or a qualifying round in some sports tournaments.
  3. Hint 3: A word for warmth or a playoff round, starts with H.
5 Down: Passed awayHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a gentle way to describe someone's end of life.
  2. Hint 2: It's the past tense of passing away.
  3. Hint 3: A polite term meaning no longer alive, starts with D.

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 #400 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

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 5-Across, “Italian poet who wrote the 'Divine Comedy'” and 6-Across, “Country whose capital is New Delhi”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for November 4, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #400. 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 #399 (November 3, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Winter jacket”; the day after, Mini #401 (November 5, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Every last one”.

November 4, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the November 4, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own November 4, 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/2026-11-04 reveals one answer at a time.