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Mini #405 · Monday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: November 9, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #405, 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: Young woman, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a casual word for a girl or young woman, often used in everyday chat.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a word you'd use to call out to a female friend, like 'hey, ___!'
  3. Hint 3: It means a young woman informally and starts with G.
4 Across: Salvador ___, surrealist painter of melting clocksHint
  1. Hint 1: This clue is about a famous artist known for bizarre, dreamlike imagery.
  2. Hint 2: He's the one who painted those famous melting clocks in 'The Persistence of Memory'.
  3. Hint 3: His surname is the answer, a Spanish surrealist painter, and it starts with D.
5 Across: Holy book of ChristianityHint
  1. Hint 1: This is about a major religious text.
  2. Hint 2: It's the central sacred scripture for Christians, often found in hotel nightstands.
  3. Hint 3: This holy book starts with B.
6 Across: Sole; nothing more thanHint
  1. Hint 1: This word means there's nothing else besides what's mentioned.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a word meaning 'just' or 'merely', as in 'I have ___ one left.'
  3. Hint 3: It means 'nothing more than' and starts with O.
7 Across: How old you areHint
  1. Hint 1: This is what people ask when they want to know your birthday count.
  2. Hint 2: It's the number of years you've been alive, like answering 'How old are you?'
  3. Hint 3: This word means how many years old you are and starts with A.

Down

1 Down: Clark ___, star of 'Gone with the Wind'Hint
  1. Hint 1: This is the surname of a classic Hollywood leading man.
  2. Hint 2: He famously played Rhett Butler in a sweeping Civil War-era romance film.
  3. Hint 3: This actor's last name starts with G.
2 Down: Friend and supporterHint
  1. Hint 1: This word describes someone who has your back.
  2. Hint 2: Think of a nation or person who teams up with another for mutual support, like in a war or cause.
  3. Hint 3: It means a supportive friend or partner and starts with A.
3 Down: An untruthHint
  1. Hint 1: This word is the opposite of the truth.
  2. Hint 2: It's what you call a false statement someone tells to deceive others.
  3. Hint 3: This word means an untruth and starts with L.
4 Down: Small dent in a car doorHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a minor cosmetic flaw you might find on a vehicle.
  2. Hint 2: It's the small dent you get from a shopping cart bumping your car in a parking lot.
  3. Hint 3: This small dent starts with D.
5 Down: Long snake that squeezes its preyHint
  1. Hint 1: This is a type of reptile known for its powerful grip rather than venom.
  2. Hint 2: It's a non-venomous snake that kills by squeezing its prey tightly, like a python's cousin.
  3. Hint 3: This constricting snake starts with B.

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 #405 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, 7-Across, 3-Down and 5-Down; the four-letter slots are 4-Across, 6-Across, 2-Down and 4-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across and 1-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 4-Across, “Salvador ___, surrealist painter of melting clocks”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • 1-Down, “Clark ___, star of 'Gone with the Wind'”, 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, “Holy book of Christianity” and 1-Down, “Clark ___, star of 'Gone with the Wind'”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for November 9, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #405. 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 #404 (November 8, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Birthday present”; the day after, Mini #406 (November 10, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Places to grab a drink”.

November 9, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the November 9, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own November 9, 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/2026-11-09 reveals one answer at a time.