Many of us have a daily ritual of playing the New York Times word games. Whether it’s Wordle, Connections, or Strands, the day just isn’t complete without them. But the NYT Mini Crossword is often the most popular because it’s quick and fun.
If you are stuck on the Tuesday, March 17, 2026, puzzle, we are here to help. Below, you will find hints to help you solve it yourself, followed by the full answer key at the bottom.
NYT Mini Crossword Hints (March 17)
If you just need a little nudge, use these hints for the Across and Down clues.
Across Hints
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1 Across: One drawing X’s and O’s — HINT: Ends with the letter “H”
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6 Across: Company whose market cap (~$4 trillion) exceeds the GDP of most countries — HINT: Starts with the letter “A”
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7 Across: “Chill!” — HINT: Ends with the letter “X”
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8 Across: Do some rhythmic tapping — HINT: Ends with the letter “M”
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9 Across: Back talk — HINT: Starts with the letter “S”
Down Hints
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1 Down: What’s the deal? — HINT: Starts with the letter “C”
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2 Down: “The Phantom of the ____” — HINT: Ends with the letter “A”
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3 Down: Excellent grade — HINT: Ends with the letter “S”
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4 Down: Sandpipers dig for them in the sand — HINT: Starts with the letter “C”
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5 Down: Evil spell — HINT: Ends with the letter “X”
NYT Mini Crossword Answers (March 17)
Warning: The full solutions are listed below. Do not scroll further if you want to keep trying the puzzle on your own!
Across Answers
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1 Across: One drawing X’s and O’s — COACH
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6 Across: Company whose market cap (~$4 trillion) exceeds the GDP of most countries — APPLE
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7 Across: “Chill!” — RELAX
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8 Across: Do some rhythmic tapping — DRUM
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9 Across: Back talk — SASS
Down Answers
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1 Down: What’s the deal? — CARDS
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2 Down: “The Phantom of the ____” — OPERA
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3 Down: Excellent grade — APLUS
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4 Down: Sandpipers dig for them in the sand — CLAMS
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5 Down: Evil spell — HEX
NYT Mini Crossword Answers and Hints: Monday, March 16, 2026
