Mini Crossword September 27, 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 — In shape (3)

   Describes a healthy physique

   4 Across — With 8-Across, four runs in baseball or four major wins in tennis (5)

   Term used in both baseball and tennis for a set of achievements

   6 Across — Alternative to theirs (5)

   Possessive pronoun used for something belonging to the speaker or writer

   7 Across — Alternative to theirs (4)

   First-person singular possessive adjective used to show ownership

   8 Across — See 4-Across (4)

   Term used in tennis for a type of victory

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

   Same treatment, the other way.

   1 Down — Counterpart of flora (5)

   Category of living organisms in biology and ecology studies

   2 Down — When dreams occur during sleep, for short (5)

   Abbreviation for a stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements

   3 Down — Reasons for end zone celebrations: Abbr. (3)

   Common abbreviation used in American football for a scoring event

   4 Down — Facilities with treadmills (4)

   Places where people go to work out and exercise regularly

   5 Down — Stir up, as waters (4)

   Verb meaning to cause disturbance or turmoil in a body of water

4. 4 Hint 4: First letter of every answer

   One letter each.

   1 Across

   F… (3 letters)

   4 Across

   G… (5 letters)

   6 Across

   Y… (5 letters)

   7 Across

   M… (4 letters)

   8 Across

   S… (4 letters)

   1 Down

   F… (5 letters)

   2 Down

   I… (5 letters)

   3 Down

   T… (3 letters)

   4 Down

   G… (4 letters)

   5 Down

   R… (4 letters)

5. 5 Hint 5: Where the grid opened up

   Last rung before the filled answers.

   1 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