Spoilers: The Tuesday, February 17, 2026, NYT Mini answers are OCTO, HOWL, KYLIE, GOON, BURS across and OHYOU, COLOR, TWINS, OLE, KGB down. The clue-and-answer set is reported by Parade, Forbes, and Insider Gaming.
Across clues and answers
- 1 Across — Prefix meaning “eight”: OCTO
- 5 Across — Classic poem that begins “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness”: HOWL
- 6 Across — One of the Jenners: KYLIE
- 7 Across — “A henchman” / “Please proceed”: GOON
- 8 Across — Prickly seedcases: BURS
Down clues and answers
- 1 Down — “Stop, I’m blushing!”: OHYOU
- 2 Down — Indicator of difficulty in Connections: COLOR
- 3 Down — Identical siblings: TWINS
- 4 Down — Repeated cheer at a soccer stadium: OLE
- 6 Down — Soviet spy org.: KGB
Two clues that use wordplay
GOON fits “a henchman”; the paired “Please proceed” wording points to “go on.” OHYOU is a playful response to a compliment that makes someone blush. COLOR refers to the color-coded difficulty indicator in Connections. These explanations follow the clue wording and answers published by the cited guides.
About this dated Mini puzzle
The date in the cited answer guides is Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Forbes describes the NYT Mini as a short daily crossword, generally with three to five clues in each direction on weekdays, while Saturday grids can be larger. Forbes also reports that previous puzzles are available in the NYT Games archive to subscribers; access conditions may change. Insider Gaming describes playing through the NYT Games website or app.
The answer list above is corroborated by three secondary guides. Those reports do not establish verification against an official New York Times puzzle archive.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Quick Recap
#1 Best Overall
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.
