Many of us have a daily ritual of playing the free word games from the New York Times. Whether it is Wordle, Connections, or Strands, the day doesn’t feel complete without them. But the most popular quick challenge is definitely The Mini Crossword.
While the NYT is famous for its large daily crossword, The Mini has a huge following because it’s fast and fun. Just a reminder: The Mini resets every night at 10 p.m. ET, which is earlier than some of the other games.
If you are working on the puzzle for Friday, April 17, and need a little boost, we have you covered. Below, you will find hints first to help you solve it on your own. If you are really stuck, scroll down further for the full answer key.
Hints for Today’s NYT Mini Crossword
Here are some extra clues to help you finish today’s grid.
NYT Mini Across Hints
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1 Across: Sound made while sinking into a hot tub (Starts with A)
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4 Across: March Madness pick (Ends with M)
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6 Across: Like “status quo” and “mea culpa” (Starts with L)
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8 Across: Large venue for a comedian (Starts with A)
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9 Across: Piece of bacon (Ends with P)
NYT Mini Down Hints
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1 Down: Book of maps (Ends with S)
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2 Down: ❤️ (Starts with H)
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3 Down: Constant critic (Starts with H)
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5 Down: Car that’s easy to park (Ends with I)
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7 Down: Much of the afternoon, for a toddler (Ends with P)
NYT Mini Crossword Answers (April 17, 2026)
Warning: Stop scrolling here if you don’t want the full answers revealed!
NYT Mini Across Answers
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1 Across: Sound made while sinking into a hot tub — AHH
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4 Across: March Madness pick — TEAM
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6 Across: Like “status quo” and “mea culpa” — LATIN
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8 Across: Large venue for a comedian — ARENA
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9 Across: Piece of bacon — STRIP
NYT Mini Down Answers
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1 Down: Book of maps — ATLAS
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2 Down: ❤️ — HEART
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3 Down: Constant critic — HATER
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5 Down: Car that’s easy to park — MINI
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7 Down: Much of the afternoon, for a toddler — NAP
NYT Mini Crossword Hints & Answers: Thursday, April 16, 2026
