- Super Bowl LX Theme: The February 8, 2026, puzzle features a heavy focus on football terminology and Sunday traditions.
- Difficulty Rating: Today’s puzzle is rated moderate with an average solve time of 1:42, largely due to the cryptic mathematical 9-Across.
- Key Answer: The 5-letter opera clue (8A) refers to Puccini’s “TOSCA,” set in Rome.
The whistle has blown and the grid is live. On this Super Bowl Sunday 2026, the NYT Mini Crossword serves up a tight, five-by-five challenge that captures the high-energy spirit of the big game. Whether you are solving between commercials or waiting for the halftime show, today’s puzzle requires a mix of athletic terminology and classical culture. If you find yourself stuck on the 1-Down/1-Across corner, our verified solutions will help you keep your perfect streak alive.
Average Solve Time: 1 Minute, 42 Seconds
Difficulty: 3/5 (Moderate)
Theme: Super Bowl Sunday / Football
Hints for February 8, 2026
Before jumping to the full grid, use these curated hints to nudge your brain in the right direction:
Across Clues
- 1A: Think of the direction often associated with “field” in a logo orientation.
- 5A: A mathematical or logical truth that is taken for granted without proof.
- 7A: What you do to your hands for 20 seconds; to wash vigorously.
- 8A: A famous 1900 opera by Giacomo Puccini set in the city of Rome.
- 9A: A phrase used to describe an indefinite number in a series (e.g., “to the ___ degree”).
Down Clues
- 1D: The position of someone who finishes behind everyone else in a race.
- 2D: Informal shorthand for someone who has served their time in the penal system.
- 3D: What you get when you gain ten yards on the field.
- 4D: The first half of a six-point score (when paired with “down”).
- 6D: The degree most often held by a Fortune 500 CEO.
NYT Mini Crossword Grid: Feb 8, 2026
For those who need to see the spatial relationship between the letters, here is the visual layout of today’s completed puzzle:
| L | E | F | T | |
| A | X | I | O | M |
| S | C | R | U | B |
| T | O | S | C | A |
| N | T | H |
Official Answers
If you have been scouring the official NYT Games interface and can’t find that final letter, here are the full solutions for today’s grid.
Across
- 1A: LEFT
- 5A: AXIOM
- 7A: SCRUB
- 8A: TOSCA
- 9A: NTH
Down
- 1D: LAST
- 2D: EXCON
- 3D: FIRST
- 4D: TOUCH
- 6D: MBA
Clue Breakdown: The “Why” Behind the Answers
Some of today’s clues require a bit more than just basic trivia. Here is why these specific answers fit the February 8 puzzle:
- TOSCA (8A): Giacomo Puccini’s 1900 masterpiece is famously set in Rome during the Napoleonic Wars. It is a staple of the “Mini” when 5-letter opera clues appear.
- NTH (9A): In mathematics, the “nth” term refers to an unspecified item in a sequence. Outside of math, it’s used to signify “extreme,” as in “to the nth degree.”
- FIRST (3D): This is a direct reference to “First Down” in football—the reward for gaining 10 yards.
- TOUCH (4D): This is a clever “split” clue. Combined with the “down” direction of the grid, it creates the word Touchdown.
If you are looking to catch up on previous puzzles from earlier in the season, we have a full database available, including the NYT Mini Crossword Answers for 18 May 2026 and the NYT Mini Crossword Answers for 11 May 2026. Check back tomorrow morning as we kick off the post-Super Bowl work week with a fresh set of clues.
