Welcome to The Mini Hints. If you’re looking for a quick hand with today’s puzzle, you’re in the right place.
Many of us have a daily ritual of playing the NYT word games, from Wordle to the Mini Crossword. While the full-sized crossword is a classic, 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.
If you are stuck on the Monday, May 4, 2026, puzzle, we have you covered. Below, you will find the hints first, followed by the full answer key at the bottom.
Hints for Monday, May 4, 2026
If you just need a little nudge to solve it yourself, use these extra clues.
Across Hints
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1 Across: A bird often seen as a sign of spring. (Ends with N)
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6 Across: The part of a book you see when it’s on a shelf. (Starts with S)
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7 Across: According to the famous saying, what happens here stays here. (Starts with V)
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8 Across: The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P is the command to do this. (Ends with T)
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9 Across: A locked box that movie villains try to break into. (Starts with S)
Down Hints
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1 Down: To reply to an invitation saying if you can attend or not. (Starts with R)
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2 Down: A web browser that uses a red “O” as its logo. (Ends with A)
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3 Down: A phrase used when someone makes a big assumption: “That’s a ___!” (Ends with F)
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4 Down: Another word for something truly silly or stupid. (Starts with I)
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5 Down: The place where a 1-Across bird lives. (Ends with T)
NYT Mini Crossword Answers (May 4, 2026)
Spoiler Alert! Only scroll past this point if you want to see the actual solutions for today’s puzzle.
Across Answers
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1 Across: ROBIN
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6 Across: SPINE
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7 Across: VEGAS
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8 Across: PRINT
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9 Across: SAFE
Down Answers
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1 Down: RSVPS
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2 Down: OPERA
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3 Down: BIGIF
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4 Down: INANE
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5 Down: NEST
