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Mini #403 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: November 7, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #403, 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: "For your information," in a memoHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a common abbreviation used when sharing a quick note or update.
  2. Hint 2: People often type this before adding a side comment or fact in an email.
  3. Hint 3: It means 'just so you know' and starts with F.
4 Across: Soda-and-ice-cream treatHint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a fizzy drink with a scoop of something frozen on top.
  2. Hint 2: This classic dessert drink is often made with root beer and vanilla ice cream.
  3. Hint 3: It's a bubbly beverage topped with ice cream, and it starts with F.
6 Across: Playful pranks, or songbirdsHint
  1. Hint 1: This word can describe mischievous fun or a type of bird.
  2. Hint 2: Think of impish jokes, or a group name for certain small songbirds.
  3. Hint 3: It means playful tricks or a bird family, and starts with L.
7 Across: Fidgety and restlessHint
  1. Hint 1: This describes someone who can't sit still.
  2. Hint 2: Think of how you feel when you're nervous and keep fidgeting.
  3. Hint 3: It means jittery or restless, and starts with A.
8 Across: Buzzing honey makerHint
  1. Hint 1: This insect is known for pollinating flowers and making something sweet.
  2. Hint 2: It buzzes around hives and produces honey.
  3. Hint 3: It's a small striped insect that starts with B.

Down

1 Down: Your strong suitHint
  1. Hint 1: This phrase refers to what you're especially good at.
  2. Hint 2: Think of someone's special talent or area of expertise.
  3. Hint 3: It means your strongest skill, and starts with F.
2 Down: Shaggy Himalayan oxenHint
  1. Hint 1: These are large, hairy animals found in mountainous regions of Asia.
  2. Hint 2: Think of shaggy cattle-like animals used for transport in the Himalayas.
  3. Hint 3: It's a mountain-dwelling ox with long hair, and starts with Y.
3 Down: Teeny-tiny, as in a spider rhymeHint
  1. Hint 1: This word often describes something extremely small, especially in a children's rhyme.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the rhyme about a small spider climbing a waterspout.
  3. Hint 3: It means very small, and starts with I.
4 Down: Flabby belly fatHint
  1. Hint 1: This refers to excess softness around the midsection.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the word used to describe a soft, jiggly stomach.
  3. Hint 3: It means loose fat on the belly, and starts with F.
5 Down: Highway division for trafficHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a term for part of a road where cars travel.
  2. Hint 2: Think of how a highway is divided into sections for different directions or speeds.
  3. Hint 3: It's a strip of road for travel, and starts with L.

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 #403 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 and 8-Across; the four-letter slots are 2-Down, 3-Down, 4-Down and 5-Down; the five-letter slots are 4-Across, 6-Across, 7-Across and 1-Down.

Clues to try first

  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 2-Down, “Shaggy Himalayan oxen”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for November 7, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #403. 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 #402 (November 6, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Blow one's top, in a snit”; the day after, Mini #404 (November 8, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Birthday present”.

November 7, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the November 7, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own November 7, 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/2026-11-07 reveals one answer at a time.