Mini Crossword September 12, 2026: Clues & Answers

Constructed by Sam Ezersky, edited by Joel Fagliano.

The written hints below were assembled automatically from the puzzle data rather than composed by an editor — accurate, just plainer than usual.

Recap

The 7 by 7 grid carried 17 clues. A1 OYSTERS, A8 COPILOT, A9 TURNKEY, A10 AWAY, A11 VINTAGE, A15 ENGINES, A16 MALE, D1 OCTAVE, D2 YOUWIN, D3 SPRANG, D4 TINYTIM, D5 ELK, D6 ROE, D7 STY, D12 ANA, D13 GEL, D14 ESE. This recap was assembled automatically from the puzzle data rather than written by an editor.

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.

Hint 1: Grid facts

Counted off the grid.

Grid

7 × 7

Clues

7 across, 10 down

Answer lengths

3–7 letters
Hint 2: Across clues, with an extra nudge each

Open only the one you want.

1 Across — If you order "ostriche" on an Italian menu, you actually get these (7)

Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with O.

8 Across — Microsoft's A.I. assistant (7)

Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with C.

9 Across — Move-in-ready, as a house for sale (7)

Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with T.

10 Across — Home's opposite, on scoreboards (4)

Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with A.

11 Across — Old and classic, as a car (7)

Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with V.

15 Across — They're revved with a "Vroom!" (7)

Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with E.

16 Across — M, on a form (4)

Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with M.
Hint 3: Down clues, with an extra nudge each

Same treatment, the other way.

1 Down — Span from C to C, in music (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading down, opening with O.

2 Down — "Fine, I give up" (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading down, opening with Y.

3 Down — Pounced (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading down, opening with S.

4 Down — Young boy saved by Scrooge's change of heart (7)

Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading down, opening with T.

5 Down — Antlered animal of the Rockies (3)

Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with E.

6 Down — Fish eggs (3)

Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with R.

7 Down — Home with a trough of slop (3)

Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with S.

12 Down — Actress de Armas (3)

Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with A.

13 Down — Stylist's goo (3)

Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with G.

14 Down — Suffix with Vietnam and Senegal (3)

Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with E.
Hint 4: First letter of every answer

One letter each.

1 Across

O… (7 letters)

8 Across

C… (7 letters)

9 Across

T… (7 letters)

10 Across

A… (4 letters)

11 Across

V… (7 letters)

15 Across

E… (7 letters)

16 Across

M… (4 letters)

1 Down

O… (6 letters)

2 Down

Y… (6 letters)

3 Down

S… (6 letters)

4 Down

T… (7 letters)

5 Down

E… (3 letters)

6 Down

R… (3 letters)

7 Down

S… (3 letters)

12 Down

A… (3 letters)

13 Down

G… (3 letters)

14 Down

E… (3 letters)
Hint 5: Where the grid opened up

Last rung before the filled answers.

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

Open the answers, clue by clue

Every clue from that grid, with its answer

Each clue opens on its own: the nudge first, the answer folded one level deeper.

Across

1If you order "ostriche" on an Italian menu, you actually get these7
Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with O.
Show answer
OYSTERS
8Microsoft's A.I. assistant7
Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with C.
Show answer
COPILOT
9Move-in-ready, as a house for sale7
Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with T.
Show answer
TURNKEY
10Home's opposite, on scoreboards4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with A.
Show answer
AWAY
11Old and classic, as a car7
Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with V.
Show answer
VINTAGE
15They're revved with a "Vroom!"7
Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading across, opening with E.
Show answer
ENGINES
16M, on a form4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with M.
Show answer
MALE

Down

1Span from C to C, in music6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading down, opening with O.
Show answer
OCTAVE
2"Fine, I give up"6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading down, opening with Y.
Show answer
YOUWIN
3Pounced6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading down, opening with S.
Show answer
SPRANG
4Young boy saved by Scrooge's change of heart7
Auto-generated hint: 7 letters, reading down, opening with T.
Show answer
TINYTIM
5Antlered animal of the Rockies3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with E.
Show answer
ELK
6Fish eggs3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with R.
Show answer
ROE
7Home with a trough of slop3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with S.
Show answer
STY
12Actress de Armas3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with A.
Show answer
ANA
13Stylist's goo3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with G.
Show answer
GEL
14Suffix with Vietnam and Senegal3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with E.
Show answer
ESE

This grid by the numbers

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Grid: 7 × 7
Clues: 17 — 7 across, 10 down
Answer lengths: 3–7 letters

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