Mini Crossword September 19, 2026: Clues & Answers

Constructed 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 6 by 8 grid carried 18 clues. A1 AIRBNB, A7 ICEAGE, A8 DADBOD, A9 ANDY, A10 ITTY, A13 OTTAWA, A15 FOOLER, A16 FORKED, D1 AIDA, D2 ICAN, D3 REDDITOR, D4 BABYTALK, D5 NGO, D6 BED, D11 TWEE, D12 YARD, D13 OFF, D14 TOO. 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

6 × 8

Clues

8 across, 10 down

Answer lengths

3–8 letters
Hint 2: Across clues, with an extra nudge each

Open only the one you want.

1 Across — Vacation rental (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with A.

7 Across — When woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers roamed the earth (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with I.

8 Across — Father figure? (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with D.

9 Across — Comedian Samberg (4)

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

10 Across — ___-bitty (4)

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

13 Across — Canada's capital (6)

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

15 Across — April 1st prankster (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with F.

16 Across — Like the tongues of snakes (6)

Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with F.
Hint 3: Down clues, with an extra nudge each

Same treatment, the other way.

1 Down — Famed opera with over 1,000 performances at the Met (4)

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

2 Down — "As far as ___ tell ..." (4)

Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with I.

3 Down — Frequent visitor to websites with "r/" in their names (8)

Auto-generated hint: 8 letters, reading down, opening with R.

4 Down — Wittle, e.g. (8)

Auto-generated hint: 8 letters, reading down, opening with B.

5 Down — Many a foreign aid grp. (3)

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

6 Down — What a convertible sofa converts into (3)

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

11 Down — Overly cutesy (4)

Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with T.

12 Down — Football field unit (4)

Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with Y.

13 Down — Not working today (3)

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

14 Down — In addition (3)

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

One letter each.

1 Across

A… (6 letters)

7 Across

I… (6 letters)

8 Across

D… (6 letters)

9 Across

A… (4 letters)

10 Across

I… (4 letters)

13 Across

O… (6 letters)

15 Across

F… (6 letters)

16 Across

F… (6 letters)

1 Down

A… (4 letters)

2 Down

I… (4 letters)

3 Down

R… (8 letters)

4 Down

B… (8 letters)

5 Down

N… (3 letters)

6 Down

B… (3 letters)

11 Down

T… (4 letters)

12 Down

Y… (4 letters)

13 Down

O… (3 letters)

14 Down

T… (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

1Vacation rental6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with A.
Show answer
AIRBNB
7When woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers roamed the earth6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with I.
Show answer
ICEAGE
8Father figure?6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with D.
Show answer
DADBOD
9Comedian Samberg4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with A.
Show answer
ANDY
10___-bitty4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with I.
Show answer
ITTY
13Canada's capital6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with O.
Show answer
OTTAWA
15April 1st prankster6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with F.
Show answer
FOOLER
16Like the tongues of snakes6
Auto-generated hint: 6 letters, reading across, opening with F.
Show answer
FORKED

Down

1Famed opera with over 1,000 performances at the Met4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with A.
Show answer
AIDA
2"As far as ___ tell ..."4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with I.
Show answer
ICAN
3Frequent visitor to websites with "r/" in their names8
Auto-generated hint: 8 letters, reading down, opening with R.
Show answer
REDDITOR
4Wittle, e.g.8
Auto-generated hint: 8 letters, reading down, opening with B.
Show answer
BABYTALK
5Many a foreign aid grp.3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with N.
Show answer
NGO
6What a convertible sofa converts into3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with B.
Show answer
BED
11Overly cutesy4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with T.
Show answer
TWEE
12Football field unit4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with Y.
Show answer
YARD
13Not working today3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with O.
Show answer
OFF
14In addition3
Auto-generated hint: 3 letters, reading down, opening with T.
Show answer
TOO

This grid by the numbers

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Grid: 6 × 8
Clues: 18 — 8 across, 10 down
Answer lengths: 3–8 letters

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