Mini Crossword August 19, 2026: Clues & Answers

Mini Crossword hints, one rung at a time

Five rungs, from grid facts to a nudge per clue. The recap above already summed the grid up, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying it fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.

1. 1 Hint 1: Grid facts

   Counted off the grid.

   Grid

   5 × 5

   Clues

   5 across, 5 down

   Answer lengths

   3–5 letters

2. 2 Hint 2: Across clues, with an extra nudge each

   Open only the one you want.

   1 Across — Instrument with an iconic solo in Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" (4)

   Percussion instrument with a solo

   5 Across — It's in a pickle (5)

   Solution for preserving pickles

   6 Across — Elevators, in British English (5)

   British term for vertical transport

   7 Across — Certain choir voices (5)

   Female voices in harmony singing

   8 Across — Sports org. for the Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls: Abbr. (3)

   Professional soccer league abbreviation

3. 3 Hint 3: Down clues, with an extra nudge each

   Same treatment, the other way.

   1 Down — Carpentry tool (5)

   Power tool for making holes

   2 Down — Personal fallouts (5)

   Disagreements or splits in relationships

   3 Down — "Do ___ others ..." (start of the Golden Rule) (4)

   Biblical phrase about treating others

   4 Down — Pickle (4)

   Tangled or complicated situation

   5 Down — "Kapow!" (4)

   Onomatopoeia for a loud impact

4. 4 Hint 4: First letter of every answer

   One letter each.

   1 Across

   D… (4 letters)

   5 Across

   B… (5 letters)

   6 Across

   L… (5 letters)

   7 Across

   A… (5 letters)

   8 Across

   M… (3 letters)

   1 Down

   D… (5 letters)

   2 Down

   R… (5 letters)

   3 Down

   U… (4 letters)

   4 Down

   M… (4 letters)

   5 Down

   B… (4 letters)

5. 5 Hint 5: Where the grid opened up

   Last rung before the filled answers.

   8 Across was the shortest entry at 3 letters, and every crossing it made handed over a free letter elsewhere.

   Open the answers, clue by clue