March 18, 2026 Today NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is a compact 5×5 grid puzzle — and while it’s on the easier side today, a couple of clues might still trip you up. Below you’ll find hints followed by full answers for every across and down clue for March 18, 2026.

What Is the NYT Mini Crossword?

The NYT Mini Crossword is a bite-sized version of the classic New York Times crossword puzzle. Unlike the full Sunday grid, the Mini is a 5×5 board with just ten clues — five across and five down. It’s designed to be solved in under five minutes and publishes daily at midnight Eastern Time. It’s a great warm-up for more challenging word puzzles, and it’s free to play on the NYT Games app and website.

Across Clues and Answers

1 Across: Word before “card,” “flood” or “photography”

Hint: Think of a sudden burst of bright light — or something a camera does.

Answer: FLASH

FLASH card, FLASH flood, FLASH photography — this three-letter prefix fits all three perfectly. A classic compound-word clue that rewards lateral thinking.

6 Across: Joust weapon

Hint: Knights wielded this long pointed pole on horseback.

Answer: LANCE

A LANCE is the long spear-like weapon carried by mounted jousting tournaments. The word also functions as a common given name, which makes it a fun misdirect if you’re not thinking medieval.

7 Across: Brain, heart or lungs

Hint: These are all vital body parts — specifically, the type found inside your chest or skull.

Answer: ORGAN

Each of the items in the clue is a major internal ORGAN. The word also refers to a musical instrument, which is a common crossword red herring — don’t let it throw you off.

8 Across: “Frozen” reindeer

Hint: Not Rudolph. This one belongs to Kristoff in the animated Disney film.

Answer: SVEN

SVEN is Kristoff’s loyal reindeer companion in Disney’s Frozen. He behaves more like a dog than a reindeer, which makes him one of the most beloved characters in the film. Four letters, all distinct — a satisfying fill.

9 Across: What can be found on frozen roads or frozen margaritas

Hint: It melts ice — on a road or in a drink glass.

Answer: SALT

Road crews spread SALT on icy surfaces to lower the freezing point of water. Margarita glasses are rimmed with the same stuff. It’s a clever dual-meaning clue that connects winter weather and happy hour in one sentence.

Down Clues and Answers

1 Down: Follow a dentist’s recommendation

Hint: Your dentist probably reminds you to do this at every checkup — it involves string.

Answer: FLOSS

To FLOSS is to clean between your teeth using dental floss. It’s the answer your dentist wishes more patients actually followed. Note that FLOSS also shares its first letter with 1 Across (FLASH), which is your anchor square for the top-left corner.

2 Down: Baby bug

Hint: It’s what a caterpillar is before it becomes a caterpillar — the stage right after the egg.

Answer: LARVA

A LARVA is the juvenile form of an insect before it undergoes metamorphosis. Caterpillars, maggots, and grubs are all larvae. Five letters, common crossword word — worth keeping in your mental wordbank.

3 Down: Shape made in the snow

Hint: Kids make these by lying on their backs and moving their arms and legs.

Answer: ANGEL

A snow ANGEL is the classic outline left in fresh snow after someone spreads their limbs while lying flat. The word fits neatly into the grid and connects to the winter theme running through several of today’s clues (frozen roads, frozen margaritas, snow shapes).

4 Down: Very little

Hint: A synonym for sparse, bare, or barely.

Answer: SCANT

SCANT means barely sufficient or very small in amount. You might describe a scant amount of evidence, or a scant portion at a restaurant. It’s a five-letter word that’s less common in everyday speech, which makes it one of today’s trickier fills.

5 Down: Egg layer

Hint: This female farm bird produces what you scramble for breakfast.

Answer: HEN

A HEN is a female chicken, and egg-laying is her defining role on a farm. Short, clean, three-letter answer — the kind of fill that locks in your bottom-right corner quickly.

More Daily Puzzle Help

Looking for answers to other puzzles today or earlier this week? Check out these recent posts:

Shahid Maqsood

Shahid Maqsood is a digital entrepreneur and SEO specialist focused on building engaging web experiences. He is the creator of DotWordle, combining creativity with smart, user-friendly design.