NYT Crossword Answers — August 20, 2026
The NYT-style Mini for August 20, 2026 packs a full puzzle into a tiny grid, and today's solution set spans everyday vocabulary from LAB, LINUS, AGGRO, SHELL. 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, LAB, is the kind of gimme that gives you crossing letters for the trickier fill, while the longest entry, LINUS, 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. Scientist's workplace | LAB | — |
| 4. Best friend of Charlie Brown | LINUS | — |
| 6. Looking for a fight, informally | AGGRO | — |
| 7. Turtle's hiding place | SHELL | — |
| 8. Give an effort | TRY | — |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Plant food? | LIGHT | — |
| 2. "Don't Look Back in ___" (Oasis hit) | ANGER | — |
| 3. Large and muscular | BURLY | — |
| 4. ___ Vegas | LAS | — |
| 5. Note after do, re, mi, fa ... | SOL | — |
Every answer explained
LAB
Clue: Scientist's workplace
With 1 vowel across 3 letters, LAB is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
LINUS
Clue: Best friend of Charlie Brown
As a 5-letter word with 2 vowels, LINUS interlocks easily with crossing entries — one reason it turns up in grids so often.
AGGRO
Clue: Looking for a fight, informally
With 2 vowels across 5 letters, AGGRO is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
SHELL
Clue: Turtle's hiding place
SHELL is a tidy 5-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
TRY
Clue: Give an effort
TRY is a tidy 3-letter fill (0 vowels); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
LIGHT
Clue: Plant food?
LIGHT is a tidy 5-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
ANGER
Clue: "Don't Look Back in ___" (Oasis hit)
With 2 vowels across 5 letters, ANGER is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
BURLY
Clue: Large and muscular
BURLY is a tidy 5-letter fill (1 vowel); constructors like it because it plays well in both directions.
LAS
Clue: ___ Vegas
With 1 vowel across 3 letters, LAS is exactly the kind of crossword-friendly answer worth recognizing on sight.
SOL
Clue: Note after do, re, mi, fa ...
As a 3-letter word with 1 vowel, SOL 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.