NYT Mini hints
June 26, 2026Hint 1 of 21-Across is “Applesauce fruit”, 3 letters.
NYT Mini Crossword Answers — June 26, 2026
Today's Mini Crossword (June 26, 2026) has 5 across clues and 5 down clues. Get a nudge from the hints below, or open the full answer list with an explanation for every clue.
Show every answer and explanation
The NYT-style Mini for June 26, 2026 packs a full puzzle into a tiny grid, and today's solution set spans everyday vocabulary from APP, VOLGA, ATE, RIVER. Friday follows Europe's longest river to a flowing 7-Across. Because the Mini is so compact, every square does double duty — each letter belongs to both an across answer and a down answer — so a single confident entry can unlock the whole board. Today the shortest answer, APP, is the kind of gimme that gives you crossing letters for the trickier fill, while the longest entry, VOLGA, anchors the grid and often takes a crossing or two to confirm. If you're checking your work or you got stuck on one stubborn square, the complete answer key below lists every across and down clue with its solution and a short explanation. We publish these Mini answers every day, so bookmark the archive and come back whenever a clue has you second-guessing. And if reading the answers gives you the itch to solve one yourself, our free Mini Crossword plays the same way — no subscription and no account required.
NYT Mini Crossword Answers
Friday follows Europe's longest river to a flowing 7-Across.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Applesauce fruit | APP | An app is a downloadable phone program. |
| 4. Longest river in Europe | VOLGA | The Volga is Europe's longest river. |
| 6. Consumed | ATE | Ate is the past tense of eat. |
| 7. Flowing body of water | RIVER | A river is a natural flowing watercourse. |
| 8. Curved path | ARC | An arc is a curved line or path. |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Peak | APEX | The apex is the highest point or peak. |
| 2. Consume | PTA | The PTA is a parent-teacher association. |
| 3. Frozen water | PEEVE | A peeve is a minor annoyance. |
| 4. Automobile | VAN | A van is a boxy motor vehicle. |
| 5. Curved fruit | AURA | An aura is an intangible atmosphere. |
Every answer explained
APP
Clue: Applesauce fruit
An app is a downloadable phone program. APP is a tidy 3-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
VOLGA
Clue: Longest river in Europe
The Volga is Europe's longest river. With 2 vowels across 5 letters, VOLGA is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
ATE
Clue: Consumed
Ate is the past tense of eat. ATE is a tidy 3-letter fill (2 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
RIVER
Clue: Flowing body of water
A river is a natural flowing watercourse. With 2 vowels across 5 letters, RIVER is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
ARC
Clue: Curved path
An arc is a curved line or path. ARC is a tidy 3-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
APEX
Clue: Peak
The apex is the highest point or peak. With 2 vowels across 4 letters, APEX is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
PTA
Clue: Consume
The PTA is a parent-teacher association. With 1 vowel across 3 letters, PTA is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
PEEVE
Clue: Frozen water
A peeve is a minor annoyance. As a 5-letter word with 3 vowels, PEEVE interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
VAN
Clue: Automobile
A van is a boxy motor vehicle. As a 3-letter word with 1 vowel, VAN interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
AURA
Clue: Curved fruit
An aura is an intangible atmosphere. AURA is a tidy 4-letter fill (3 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
Explore clues from this puzzle
Tips for solving
- 1Start with the fill-in-the-blank and short (3-letter) clues — they're usually the fastest points and hand you crossing letters for everything else.
- 2Work outward from your most confident answer instead of top-to-bottom; in a Mini, one solid entry unlocks four or five neighbors.
- 3If a clue ends in a question mark, expect wordplay or a pun rather than a literal definition.
- 4Plural clues almost always mean the answer ends in S — pencil that last letter in early.
- 5When two answers seem possible, let the crossing clue break the tie rather than guessing.
The quickest way to get faster is to solve more grids. Funzzle's free Mini Crossword is a new 5×5 every day, and the full-size Daily Crossword is there when you want a longer solve.
Questions people ask
What are the Mini Crossword answers for June 26, 2026?
Across: 1 APP, 4 VOLGA, 6 ATE, 7 RIVER, 8 ARC. Down: 1 APEX, 2 PTA, 3 PEEVE, 4 VAN, 5 AURA.
What is 1-Across in today's Mini, "Applesauce fruit"?
1-Across, "Applesauce fruit", is APP.
What time does the NYT Mini come out?
The Mini for the next day is released at 10 p.m. Eastern on weekdays and 6 p.m. Eastern on weekends. Funzzle posts hints and answers as soon as it's out.
How long does the Mini Crossword take?
Most people finish the 5×5 Mini in one to three minutes. Saturday's Mini is often a larger grid and takes a little longer.