Mini Crossword September 29, 2026: Clues & Answers

Constructed by Ian Livengood, 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 5 by 5 grid carried 10 clues. A1 BAGS, A5 LLAMA, A7 ALLEN, A8 NILLA, A9 KNOLL, D1 BLANK, D2 ALLIN, D3 GALLO, D4 SMELL, D6 ANAL. 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

5 × 5

Clues

5 across, 5 down

Answer lengths

4–5 letters
Hint 2: Across clues, with an extra nudge each

Open only the one you want.

1 Across — Items on an airport carousel (4)

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

5 Across — Animal whose name has a doubled letter seen repeatedly in this puzzle (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with L.

7 Across — Josh ___, 2024 N.F.L. M.V.P. (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with A.

8 Across — Nabisco wafer brand (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with N.

9 Across — Small hill (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with K.
Hint 3: Down clues, with an extra nudge each

Same treatment, the other way.

1 Down — Versatile Scrabble tile (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with B.

2 Down — 100% committed (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with A.

3 Down — Pico de ___ (salsa variety) (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with G.

4 Down — Aroma (5)

Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with S.

6 Down — Overly fussy about details (4)

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

One letter each.

1 Across

B… (4 letters)

5 Across

L… (5 letters)

7 Across

A… (5 letters)

8 Across

N… (5 letters)

9 Across

K… (5 letters)

1 Down

B… (5 letters)

2 Down

A… (5 letters)

3 Down

G… (5 letters)

4 Down

S… (5 letters)

6 Down

A… (4 letters)
Hint 5: Where the grid opened up

Last rung before the filled answers.

1 Across was the shortest entry at 4 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

1Items on an airport carousel4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading across, opening with B.
Show answer
BAGS
5Animal whose name has a doubled letter seen repeatedly in this puzzle5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with L.
Show answer
LLAMA
7Josh ___, 2024 N.F.L. M.V.P.5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with A.
Show answer
ALLEN
8Nabisco wafer brand5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with N.
Show answer
NILLA
9Small hill5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading across, opening with K.
Show answer
KNOLL

Down

1Versatile Scrabble tile5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with B.
Show answer
BLANK
2100% committed5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with A.
Show answer
ALLIN
3Pico de ___ (salsa variety)5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with G.
Show answer
GALLO
4Aroma5
Auto-generated hint: 5 letters, reading down, opening with S.
Show answer
SMELL
6Overly fussy about details4
Auto-generated hint: 4 letters, reading down, opening with A.
Show answer
ANAL

This grid by the numbers

Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Grid: 5 × 5
Clues: 10 — 5 across, 5 down
Answer lengths: 4–5 letters

More Mini Crossword

See the live Mini Crossword hints and answers page for the current grid, or browse every archived Mini Crossword date by month.

Try another puzzle

The live NYT Strands hints, spangram and answers page

Six theme words plus the spangram, with a read-only board that traces each answer.
The live NYT Connections hints and answers page

Sixteen tiles, four groups, and a graded hint ladder from nudge to full answer.