Mini Crossword September 11, 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 — Picture puzzle where 👁️ + ❤️ + 🐑 means "I love you" (5)

   Visual puzzle using symbols and images

   6 Across — Its license plates read "Famous Potatoes" (5)

   US state known for potatoes and farming

   7 Across — After-dinner coffee order (5)

   Type of coffee with low caffeine content

   8 Across — Distinctive feature of an aardvark (5)

   Aardvark's long, pointed facial feature

   9 Across — Long-running show with a cold open, familiarly (3)

   Saturday night TV staple with comedic sketches

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

   Same treatment, the other way.

   1 Down — Frees (of) (4)

   Verb meaning to free or relieve from something

   2 Down — Utopian places (5)

   Imaginary places of perfect happiness and peace

   3 Down — "I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the ___" (Weezer lyric) (5)

   Food often paired with turkey in meals and songs

   4 Down — Big name in moving trucks (5)

   Popular brand of rental trucks for moving homes

   5 Down — Word before ware or ball (4)

   Word describing a type of ball or ware material

4. 4 Hint 4: First letter of every answer

   One letter each.

   1 Across

   R… (5 letters)

   6 Across

   I… (5 letters)

   7 Across

   D… (5 letters)

   8 Across

   S… (5 letters)

   9 Across

   S… (3 letters)

   1 Down

   R… (4 letters)

   2 Down

   E… (5 letters)

   3 Down

   B… (5 letters)

   4 Down

   U… (5 letters)

   5 Down

   S… (4 letters)

5. 5 Hint 5: Where the grid opened up

   Last rung before the filled answers.

   9 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