Here are the hints and complete answer key for the Monday, April 20, 2026, NYT Mini Crossword. The puzzle is a 5×5 grid with 10 clues, constructed by Joel Fagliano. Crossword Chef rates it 1.5 out of 10, or Easy.
Try the graduated hints first, then open the full spoiler table if you want every entry.
Monday, April 20 NYT Mini Crossword hints
Use the clue meanings and crossing letters to narrow the entries without immediately revealing the key:
- 1A: The all-caps response to an unwanted political text is a four-letter command.
- 5A: Both Seinfeld and The Office ran for the same number of seasons.
- 6A: A wild party, in informal language, is a five-letter noun.
- 7A: The Swedish furniture company is a familiar four-letter brand name.
- 8A: The long-lasting salon treatment is a four-letter word.
- 1D and 2D: Each clue names a five-letter animal from the Chinese zodiac.
- 3D: The hour after midnight is entered without a space in the grid.
- 4D: In the abbreviation m.p.h., the “p” stands for a three-letter word.
- 6D: The traditional letters on a tombstone form a three-letter abbreviation.
Because the grid is only 5×5, a few certain crossing letters should quickly resolve the less obvious entries.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →#1 Best Overall
Complete answer key
Spoilers below. The table gives the exact entry for every clue. The grid uses ONEAM for “ONE AM,” because spaces are omitted during entry.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1A. “All-caps reply to a spammy political text” | STOP | The standard opt-out command in a text-message reply. |
| 5A. “Number of seasons that ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘The Office’ each ran” | NINE | Both television series ran for nine seasons. |
| 6A. “Wild party, informally” | RAGER | An informal term for an especially lively party. |
| 7A. “Swedish furniture giant” | IKEA | The Swedish home-furnishings retailer. |
| 8A. “Long-lasting salon treatment” | PERM | A permanent wave or similar chemical hair treatment. |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1D. “Chinese zodiac animal” | SNAKE | One of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle. |
| 2D. “Chinese zodiac animal” | TIGER | Another five-letter animal in the zodiac cycle. |
| 3D. “Hour following midnight” | ONE AM (entered as ONEAM) | The first hour after 12:00 a.m. |
| 4D. “The ‘p’ of m.p.h.” | PER | The abbreviation means miles per hour. |
| 6D. “Tombstone letters” | RIP | Short for the Latin phrase meaning “rest in peace.” |
About this Mini
- Date: Monday, April 20, 2026
- Constructor: Joel Fagliano
- Grid: 5×5
- Clues: 10 total
- Reported difficulty: 1.5 out of 10 (Easy), according to Crossword Chef
The compact grid and familiar vocabulary make this a quick weekday solve, with the TV-season count, brand name and two zodiac animals supplying useful crossing letters.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to play
The current NYT Mini is available free on the New York Times website and in the NYT Games app. Access to older puzzles in the archive requires an NYT Games subscription. The April 20, 2026 entry is a dated puzzle, so make sure the date shown in the game matches Monday, April 20 before using the answer key.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems
