- Complete Solution: The February 20, 2026, puzzle features the 19th-century political party “WHIGS” and Nintendo icon “YOSHI.”
- Key Difficulty: Modernist architect Frank “GEHRY” serves as the primary hurdle for the Down clues.
- Quick Navigation: All Across and Down solutions are verified for the standard 5×5 grid layout.
The NYT Mini Crossword remains the definitive “coffee-break” challenge of 2026, offering a high-speed mental workout that fits between notifications. Today’s grid, dated February 20, 2026, blends historical political trivia with modern gaming culture, ensuring that even veteran solvers might need a quick nudge to maintain their streak.
Whether you are stuck on a specific intersection or just want to verify your speed-run time, we have the full breakdown of clues and solutions below. If you are looking to catch up on earlier challenges, you can view our archive, including the NYT Mini Crossword Answers for 11 May 2026.
NYT Mini Hints: February 20, 2026
Before jumping to the full solution, here are a few instructional hints to help you crack the grid independently:
- 1A: Think of the political rivals to the Jacksonian Democrats in the 1830s.
- 7A: This green dinosaur first appeared in Super Mario World.
- 4D: The visionary behind the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
- 9A: A three-letter word for the atmosphere above us.
Across Answers (Feb 20, 2026)
The horizontal clues for today’s puzzle are as follows:
| Clue Number | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1A | WHIGS |
| 6A | HOTEL |
| 7A | YOSHI |
| 8A | STORM |
| 9A | SKY |
Down Answers (Feb 20, 2026)
The vertical columns that complete the 5×5 grid:
| Clue Number | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1D | WHYS |
| 2D | HOOTS |
| 3D | ITSOK |
| 4D | GEHRY |
| 5D | SLIM |
Grid Analysis & Strategy
Today’s Mini is particularly interesting for its use of “GEHRY” (4D), which may trip up solvers who aren’t familiar with architectural history. However, the crossing with “YOSHI” (7A) and “HOTEL” (6A) provides enough common letters to solve it through elimination. If you found this puzzle easier than usual, you might want to compare it to the NYT Mini Crossword Answers for 18 May 2026 to see how the difficulty scaling has evolved this year.
For more puzzles and official daily stats, you can visit the NYT Games platform directly. Solving these daily maintains cognitive flexibility and, in the competitive landscape of 2026, keeps your social leaderboard standings secure.
“The Mini is a sprint, but crosswords are a marathon. Consistency is the only way to build the vocabulary required for the Sunday 15×15.”
Check back tomorrow for the latest solutions and hints for the next NYT Mini challenge.
