NYT Mini Crossword — September 20, 2026
Hints — one at a time
Hint 1 of 5
Today's five-by-five opens with a word for a recurring bit of comedy, then a brownish shade that turns golden if you swap its first letter.
Hint 2 of 5
Continue across with a New England state that curiously shares its first and last letters with a large antlered animal, and a word for teaming up with someone.
Hint 3 of 5
The last across answer starts the French title of a famous musical about revolution and redemption.
Hint 4 of 5
Down starts with a popular email app known for its envelope icon, and a word meaning to tolerate or put up with something.
Hint 5 of 5
Finish down with what might be blamed for a natural head of curls, the filler sounds people make when they're hesitating mid-sentence, and the fiery color a sugar maple's leaves turn in fall.
The answer — spoilers!
Reveal the full answer
- Running joke — GAG
- Shade of brown that becomes a shade of gold if you change its first letter to an "A" — UMBER
- State that shares the same first and last letters with MOOSE, appropriately — MAINE
- Joined teams (with) — SIDED
- "___ Misérables" — LES
- App with an envelope logo — GMAIL
- Withstand — ABIDE
- Things that might make your hair curl? — GENES
- Sounds of hesitation — UMS
- Vibrant color for a sugar maple in autumn — RED
This puzzle by the numbers
- 5 across, 5 down
- UMBER (5)
Counted from our own archive of NYT Mini Crossword answers — not published anywhere else.
