Many of us have a daily ritual of playing the New York Times word games. Between Wordle and Strands, the NYT Mini Crossword is a fan favorite. It’s short, fun, and resets every night at 10 p.m. ET.
If you are working on the puzzle for Wednesday, March 18, 2026, and need a little help, you’re in the right place. Below, we have broken down the hints first, followed by the full answer key at the bottom.
Hints for Today’s NYT Mini Crossword
Use these extra clues to help you solve the grid on your own before looking at the answers.
Across Hints
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1 Across: Word before “card,” “flood,” or “photography.” (Hint: Ends with “H”)
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6 Across: A long weapon used while jousting. (Hint: Starts with “L”)
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7 Across: Examples include the brain, heart, or lungs. (Hint: Ends with “N”)
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8 Across: The name of the reindeer in the movie Frozen. (Hint: Ends with “N”)
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9 Across: Found on both icy winter roads and the rims of margarita glasses. (Hint: Starts with “S”)
Down Hints
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1 Down: What you do when you follow a dentist’s advice. (Hint: Starts with “F”)
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2 Down: An insect in its baby or middle stage of life. (Hint: Ends with “A”)
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3 Down: A shape kids make by waving their arms in the snow. (Hint: Ends with “L”)
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4 Down: An adjective meaning very little or barely enough. (Hint: Starts with “S”)
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5 Down: A common farm bird that lays eggs. (Hint: Ends with “N”)
NYT Mini Crossword Answer Key (March 18, 2026)
Spoiler Warning: Only scroll further if you want to see the completed puzzle solutions.
Across Answers
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1 Across: FLASH
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6 Across: LANCE
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7 Across: ORGAN
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8 Across: SVEN
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9 Across: SALT
Down Answers
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1 Down: FLOSS
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2 Down: LARVA
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3 Down: ANGEL
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4 Down: SCANT
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5 Down: HEN
NYT Mini Crossword Hints & Answers: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
