Mini Crossword Today: Clues, Hints and Answers for August 9
One stubborn square should not cost you the whole grid. Every clue here carries its own extra nudge, so you can open the entry you are stuck on and leave the rest alone.
Mini Crossword hints, one rung at a time
Five rungs, from grid facts to a per-clue nudge. This page remembers which ones you opened while this grid is current.
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Hint 1: Grid facts
Counted off the grid, not guessed.
- Grid
- 5 × 5
- Clues
- 5 across, 5 down
- Answer lengths
- 5–5 letters
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Hint 2: Across clues, with an extra nudge each
Open only the one you are stuck on.
1 Across — Flatten, informally (5)
Informal way to say make something flat
6 Across — African mammal that can weigh up to 10,000 pounds (5)
Large animal found in rivers and lakes
7 Across — "___ next time!" (5)
Phrase used to end a conversation
8 Across — Add fuel to, as a fire (5)
Add more fuel to make something burn brighter
9 Across — Really talked (up) (5)
Talked about something with great enthusiasm
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Hint 3: Down clues, with an extra nudge each
Same treatment, the other way.
1 Down — "Quiet!" (5)
Sound used to tell someone to be quiet
2 Down — Like many green mouthwashes (5)
Flavor often associated with freshness
3 Down — Request that precedes "down low ... too slow!" (5)
Request to move to a higher position
4 Down — Powerful volleyball hit (5)
Strong hit in a sport, often used strategically
5 Down — Sank, as a putt (5)
Golf term for a putt that goes into the hole
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Hint 4: First letter of every answer
One letter each — the crossings do the rest.
- 1 Across
- S… (5 letters)
- 6 Across
- H… (5 letters)
- 7 Across
- U… (5 letters)
- 8 Across
- S… (5 letters)
- 9 Across
- H… (5 letters)
- 1 Down
- S… (5 letters)
- 2 Down
- M… (5 letters)
- 3 Down
- U… (5 letters)
- 4 Down
- S… (5 letters)
- 5 Down
- H… (5 letters)
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Hint 5: Where to start
Last rung before the filled grid.
Take 1 Across first: at 5 letters it is the shortest entry on the board, and every crossing it makes hands you a free letter somewhere else.
Today's Mini Crossword answers, clue by clue
Each clue opens on its own: the nudge first, the answer folded one level deeper.
Across
1Flatten, informally5
Informal way to say make something flat
Show answer
SMUSH
6African mammal that can weigh up to 10,000 pounds5
Large animal found in rivers and lakes
Show answer
HIPPO
7"___ next time!"5
Phrase used to end a conversation
Show answer
UNTIL
8Add fuel to, as a fire5
Add more fuel to make something burn brighter
Show answer
STOKE
9Really talked (up)5
Talked about something with great enthusiasm
Show answer
HYPED
Down
1"Quiet!"5
Sound used to tell someone to be quiet
Show answer
SHUSH
2Like many green mouthwashes5
Flavor often associated with freshness
Show answer
MINTY
3Request that precedes "down low ... too slow!"5
Request to move to a higher position
Show answer
UPTOP
4Powerful volleyball hit5
Strong hit in a sport, often used strategically
Show answer
SPIKE
5Sank, as a putt5
Golf term for a putt that goes into the hole
Show answer
HOLED
This grid by the numbers
Constructed by Ian Livengood, edited by Joel Fagliano.
- Date
- Sunday, August 9, 2026
- Grid
- 5 × 5
- Clues
- 10 — 5 across, 5 down
- Answer lengths
- 5–5 letters
- Difficulty
- medium
The last board we archived
Archive pages are created once a date has stopped being current everywhere on Earth. Meanwhile, Browse the Mini Crossword answers archive collects every board we have stored.
More puzzles today
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Today's NYT Strands hints, spangram and answers
Theme words, the spangram, and a board that traces each answer.
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Today's NYT Connections hints and answers
Sixteen tiles, four groups. Nudges first, full groupings last.
How the Mini works, in short
A five-by-five grid most solvers finish inside a minute. Fill what you are sure of first: every crossing hands you a letter the other way, so one confident across answer usually unlocks three down ones. Our full Mini Crossword guide covers the abbreviation and wordplay conventions that trip newcomers.
NYT Mini Crossword questions we get asked
When does a new NYT Mini Crossword appear?
Weekdays at 10pm Eastern for the following day, and 6pm Eastern on Saturday for Sunday. This page follows your own time zone once the puzzle is live.
Can I get one Mini clue hinted without seeing the grid solved?
Yes — that is what this page is for. Each clue carries its own nudge on its own rung, so you can open exactly the square you are stuck on and leave the rest alone.
How big is the Mini Crossword grid on August 9?
5 by 5, with 5 across clues and 5 down clues — 10 entries in all.
What are the Mini Crossword answers for August 9?
1 Across: SMUSH, 6 Across: HIPPO, 7 Across: UNTIL, 8 Across: STOKE, 9 Across: HYPED, 1 Down: SHUSH, 2 Down: MINTY, 3 Down: UPTOP, 4 Down: SPIKE, 5 Down: HOLED.
Is TodayHint affiliated with The New York Times?
No — TodayHint is independent. The Mini Crossword and NYT are trademarks of The New York Times Company. Clue text is reported as printed; the nudges around it are written for this site.