Welcome to The Mini Hints. If you’re a word game fan, you probably don’t feel like your day is complete until you’ve finished the daily puzzles from the New York Times. Whether you’re a fan of Wordle, Connections, or Strands, the Mini Crossword is a staple of that daily ritual.
The Mini is a shorter version of the famous NYT Crossword. While the larger puzzle requires a subscription, the Mini is free and refreshes every evening at 10 p.m.
If you are working on the puzzle for Monday, May 11, 2026, and find yourself stuck, we have you covered. Below, you will find hints followed by the full solutions. Warning: Scroll slowly if you want to avoid spoilers!
Hints for the NYT Mini Crossword: Monday, May 11, 2026
Here are some extra clues to help you solve today’s grid.
Across Hints
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1 Across: Itty-bitty insect — HINT: Starts with “G”
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5 Across: “Excellent job!” — HINT: Ends with “O”
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6 Across: Bird that “croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan,” in Macbeth — HINT: Starts with “R”
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7 Across: Each and ___ — HINT: Ends with “Y”
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8 Across: Swollen mark — HINT: Ends with “T”
Down Hints
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1 Down: Deathly serious — HINT: Ends with “E”
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2 Down: Belly button — HINT: Starts with “N”
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3 Down: Prevent, as a crisis — HINT: Ends with “T”
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4 Down: ___ the Tiger, mascot of Frosted Flakes — HINT: Ends with “Y”
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5 Down: Beer, informally — HINT: Starts with “B”
Answers for the NYT Mini Crossword: Monday, May 11, 2026
Stop here if you aren’t ready to see the full solutions!
Across Answers
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1 Across: Itty-bitty insect — GNAT
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5 Across: “Excellent job!” — BRAVO
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6 Across: Bird that “croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan,” in Macbeth — RAVEN
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7 Across: Each and ___ — EVERY
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8 Across: Swollen mark — WELT
Down Answers
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1 Down: Deathly serious — GRAVE
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2 Down: Belly button — NAVEL
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3 Down: Prevent, as a crisis — AVERT
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4 Down: ___ the Tiger, mascot of Frosted Flakes — TONY
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5 Down: Beer, informally — BREW
