Need a nudge on the Sunday, February 8, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword? Start with the clue-by-clue hints below, then open the answer key only if you need it.
Across hints
- 1-Across: Think of the direction the Philadelphia Eagles’ logo faces.
- 5-Across: A self-evident statement or principle.
- 7-Across: Clean with vigorous rubbing.
- 8-Across: Puccini opera whose story is set in Rome.
- 9-Across: Complete the phrase “to the ___ degree.”
Down hints
- 1-Down: The finish for a team at the bottom of its division.
- 2-Down: Informal term for someone who has served time in prison.
- 3-Down: A successful ten-yard gain in football; the answer also works with the clue’s directional wordplay.
- 4-Down: A trip to the end zone; the answer also works with the clue’s directional wordplay.
- 6-Down: A graduate business degree often held by a chief executive.
Full answer key — spoilers below
| Direction | Number | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Across | 1 | LEFT |
| Across | 5 | AXIOM |
| Across | 7 | SCRUB |
| Across | 8 | TOSCA |
| Across | 9 | NTH |
| Down | 1 | LAST |
| Down | 2 | EX-CON (also styled EXCON) |
| Down | 3 | FIRST |
| Down | 4 | TOUCH |
| Down | 6 | MBA |
The football clues pair FIRST with a ten-yard gain and TOUCH with a trip to the end zone. The answers are reported consistently by Forbes and Parade; the former-inmate entry appears with or without a hyphen.
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About this Sunday Mini
February 8, 2026 falls on a Sunday. That year matters when searching for a dated puzzle, since February 8 falls on different weekdays in other years. Parade reports that the Mini resets at 10 p.m.; treat that as reported timing rather than an independently confirmed official schedule. Forbes describes the Mini as usually a five-by-five grid with three to five clues in each direction.
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Forbes reports that access to archived Mini puzzles requires an NYT Games subscription. Current subscription and archive terms were not confirmed here.
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