NYT Crossword Answers — August 11, 2026
The NYT-style Mini for August 11, 2026 packs a full puzzle into a tiny grid, and today's solution set spans everyday vocabulary from BEANS, AUDIO, CRONY, NOPE. Today's mini is a straightforward mix of fairy tales, tech terms, politics, and everyday slang, with no overarching theme. 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, EST, is the kind of gimme that gives you crossing letters for the trickier fill, while the longest entry, BEANS, 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
Today's mini is a straightforward mix of fairy tales, tech terms, politics, and everyday slang, with no overarching theme.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. "Magic" items for Jack, in a classic fairy tale | BEANS | Jack traded the family cow for magic beans in the fairy tale 'Jack and the Beanstalk.' |
| 6. What the "A" stands for in A/V | AUDIO | A/V stands for audio/visual, so A is for audio. |
| 7. Political ally who receives corrupt benefits | CRONY | A crony is a friend or ally who receives benefits, often corruptly, in politics. |
| 8. "Uh-uh" | NOPE | 'Uh-uh' is an informal way to say no, hence 'nope.' |
| 9. Cutesy suffix with "best" | EST | The suffix '-est' forms superlatives like 'best,' adding a cutesy tone when used playfully. |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Portmanteau for a skin problem under a T-shirt or bra strap | BACNE | Bacne is a portmanteau of 'back' and 'acne,' a skin problem under straps. |
| 2. Continental currency units (5) | EUROS | Euros are the currency of many European countries, a continental currency unit. |
| 3. "___, don't shop" (pet shelter slogan) | ADOPT | 'Adopt, don't shop' is a common shelter slogan encouraging adoption over buying pets. |
| 4. Highest number in sudoku | NINE | In a standard 9x9 sudoku, the highest number used is 9, hence nine. |
| 5. Veggie burger ingredient | SOY | Soy is a common plant-based ingredient in veggie burgers. |
Every answer explained
BEANS
Clue: "Magic" items for Jack, in a classic fairy tale
Jack traded the family cow for magic beans in the fairy tale 'Jack and the Beanstalk.' With 2 vowels across 5 letters, BEANS is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
AUDIO
Clue: What the "A" stands for in A/V
A/V stands for audio/visual, so A is for audio. With 4 vowels across 5 letters, AUDIO is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
CRONY
Clue: Political ally who receives corrupt benefits
A crony is a friend or ally who receives benefits, often corruptly, in politics. As a 5-letter word with 1 vowel, CRONY interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
NOPE
Clue: "Uh-uh"
'Uh-uh' is an informal way to say no, hence 'nope.' With 2 vowels across 4 letters, NOPE is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
EST
Clue: Cutesy suffix with "best"
The suffix '-est' forms superlatives like 'best,' adding a cutesy tone when used playfully. EST is a tidy 3-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
BACNE
Clue: Portmanteau for a skin problem under a T-shirt or bra strap
Bacne is a portmanteau of 'back' and 'acne,' a skin problem under straps. BACNE is a tidy 5-letter fill (2 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
EUROS
Clue: Continental currency units (5)
Euros are the currency of many European countries, a continental currency unit. As a 5-letter word with 3 vowels, EUROS interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
ADOPT
Clue: "___, don't shop" (pet shelter slogan)
'Adopt, don't shop' is a common shelter slogan encouraging adoption over buying pets. With 2 vowels across 5 letters, ADOPT is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
NINE
Clue: Highest number in sudoku
In a standard 9x9 sudoku, the highest number used is 9, hence nine. As a 4-letter word with 2 vowels, NINE interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
SOY
Clue: Veggie burger ingredient
Soy is a common plant-based ingredient in veggie burgers. SOY is a tidy 3-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
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.