Today's Mini spans chemistry, breakfast food, music terms and zodiac signs across five clues.
Down clues cover campus visits, spy lingo, patience and a Disney dwarf reference.
The compact 5x5 format keeps solving fast while wordplay adds a genuine challenge.
The NYT Mini Crossword returns with another quick challenge on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. A fresh batch of five-letter grids greets solvers once again, mixing chemistry, food, music, heraldry and pop culture into one tiny puzzle. The Mini never repeats itself. Each day brings a new set of clues, and today's edition leans on short, punchy answers that test general knowledge rather than obscure trivia.
The grid stays true to its usual 5x5 format. Ten clues fill the board, five running across and five running down. Solvers who breeze through daily puzzles will likely finish this one within a couple of minutes. Newer players might pause on a clue or two, especially where wordplay hides behind a simple phrase.
The puzzle opens with a chemistry reference before shifting into food, music and heraldry. The down clues then swing into travel, espionage, animation and luxury bathroom fixtures. That range keeps the small grid lively despite its size.
Anyone stuck on a square, or simply confirming a finished grid, can find the full breakdown of the NYT Mini Crossword Answers for August 26 below.
The across section starts with elements and moves through breakfast pastries, music structure, heraldry and astrology.
1A: Only three-letter element
TIN
The answer is TIN. Tin sits on the periodic table as a soft, silvery metal used for centuries in alloys like bronze. The three-letter clue narrows the field quickly for anyone familiar with basic chemistry.
4A: Hole food
DONUT
The answer is DONUT. A donut carries its signature center hole, a shape born from even frying and easier cooking. The clue plays on that hollow middle rather than describing any actual hole.
6A: Section at the end of a song
OUTRO
The answer is OUTRO. Musicians use the term for the closing passage of a track, the opposite of an intro. The clue rewards anyone who thinks in musical structure rather than lyrics.
7A: Emblem topping a coat of arms
CREST
The answer is CREST. A crest sits above a shield in traditional heraldry, often representing a family or institution. The clue draws from a niche but recognizable corner of symbolism.
8A: Only three-letter zodiac sign
LEO
The answer is LEO. Leo represents the lion in the zodiac calendar and covers birthdays in late July through August. The short answer fits neatly given the season.
Also Read: Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for August 25, 2026
The down clues shift toward travel, secrecy, patience, animation and interior design.
1D: Visit, as a college
TOUR
The answer is TOUR. Prospective students often walk campuses during scheduled visits before applying, and "tour" captures that ritual precisely. The clue stays direct but still needs the right synonym.
2D: Something gathered by a spy
INTEL
The answer is INTEL. Intelligence agencies rely on gathered information, shortened casually to "intel" in everyday speech. The clue leans on that clipped, modern usage.
3D: Sip slowly
NURSE
The answer is NURSE. Drinking a beverage slowly, often to make it last, gets described as "nursing" a drink. That shift in meaning gives the clue its twist, since the word usually points toward healthcare.
4D: Only three-letter Disney dwarf
DOC
The answer is DOC. Among the seven dwarfs from "Snow White," Doc stands out as the leader with the shortest name. The clue narrows things through letter count alone.
5D: Big name in high-end toilets
TOTO
The answer is TOTO. Toto built a reputation as a premium bathroom fixture brand known for advanced toilet technology. The clue steers clear of the more famous Toto references from film and music.
Today's puzzle folds chemistry, breakfast, music and heraldry into its first half, then pivots toward everyday routines and brand recognition in the second. TIN opens with hard science. DONUT and OUTRO bring lighter, familiar territory. CREST and LEO close the across section with symbolism and astrology.
The down answers add variety without repeating any theme already used above. TOUR and INTEL point toward action and observation. NURSE plays with double meaning, since sipping slowly has nothing to do with medicine. DOC nods to animation, and TOTO closes things out with a nod to home design.
The NYT Mini Crossword keeps its 5x5 format on weekdays, expanding only on Saturdays. Despite the compact size, several clues here rely on secondary meanings rather than straightforward definitions. "Hole food" and "Sip slowly" both demand a small mental pivot before the answer clicks.
That balance between simplicity and misdirection defines the Mini's appeal. Casual players finish quickly. Careful solvers still find a clue or two worth a second look. August 26 delivers exactly that mix, moving from the periodic table to pastry, music, heraldry, astrology, campus visits, espionage, patience, animation and plumbing brands, all inside ten short answers.
A new NYT Mini Crossword arrives again tomorrow, bringing another fresh set of clues and answers for solvers to work through.