NYT Crossword Answers — July 26, 2026
The NYT-style Mini for July 26, 2026 packs a full puzzle into a tiny grid, and today's solution set spans everyday vocabulary from ARM, GEESE, EXTOL, SEOUL. 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, ARM, is the kind of gimme that gives you crossing letters for the trickier fill, while the longest entry, GEESE, 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
Across
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. One of five for most starfish | ARM | — |
| 4. Fliers in a V | GEESE | — |
| 7. Sing the praises of | EXTOL | — |
| 8. Capital of South Korea | SEOUL | — |
| 9. Bottom of a shoe | SOLE | — |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Around 14-29, for most members of Gen Z | AGES | — |
| 2. T. ___ (fearsome dinos) | REXES | — |
| 3. "Yeah, same!" | METOO | — |
| 5. 2020 Pixar movie | SOUL | — |
| 6. French fashion magazine | ELLE | — |
Every answer explained
ARM
Clue: One of five for most starfish
As a 3-letter word with 1 vowel, ARM interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
GEESE
Clue: Fliers in a V
With 3 vowels across 5 letters, GEESE is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
EXTOL
Clue: Sing the praises of
EXTOL is a tidy 5-letter fill (2 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
SEOUL
Clue: Capital of South Korea
Seoul is a megacity of nearly 10 million split by the Han River. It has served as Korea's capital for more than 600 years, since the Joseon dynasty. The name simply means capital in Korean. SEOUL is a tidy 5-letter fill (3 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
SOLE
Clue: Bottom of a shoe
SOLE is a tidy 4-letter fill (2 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
AGES
Clue: Around 14-29, for most members of Gen Z
AGES is a tidy 4-letter fill (2 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
REXES
Clue: T. ___ (fearsome dinos)
With 2 vowels across 5 letters, REXES is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
METOO
Clue: "Yeah, same!"
As a 5-letter word with 3 vowels, METOO interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
SOUL
Clue: 2020 Pixar movie
Soul is a music genre that combines gospel and rhythm and blues, rising to prominence in the 1960s. Artists like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye became its defining voices. As a 4-letter word with 2 vowels, SOUL interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
ELLE
Clue: French fashion magazine
As a 4-letter word with 2 vowels, ELLE interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
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.