NYT Mini Crossword Answers – Thursday, Sept 17, 2026

If you’ve ever taken a brief mental breather with the New York Times Mini Crossword, you know it’s a neat little puzzle that fits nicely between coffee sips. Today’s edition, released on Thursday, Sept 17, 2026, isn’t especially brutal, so feel free to peek at the answers if you’ve gotten stuck.

First off, a quick shout‑out to our resident pop‑culture nerd, Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, who helped compile these clues. She’s the kind of journalist who can still name the flavor of a ’90s pudding pop, so you can trust her picks are spot‑on.

Across clues and answers

1A – “Noise heard in an Aflac commercial” – QUACK
6A – “___ Fester, ‘Wednesday’ character played by Fred Armisen” – UNCLE
7A – “Total moron” – IDIOT
8A – “Total, as expenses” – RUNTO
9A – “Containers for some basement parties” – KEGS

These were pretty straightforward. The “QUACK” one pops up every now and then, and “KEGS” is a nod to those low‑key homebrew gatherings you might have heard about.

Down clues and answers

1D – “Unique mannerism” – QUIRK
2D – “Excessive, as criticism or punishment” – UNDUE
3D – “Scoring 100% on” – ACING
4D – “Lumps in non‑homogenized milk” – CLOTS
5D – “Kind of high‑fat, low‑carb diet” – KETO

Nothing too cryptic here; if you were stuck on “CLOTS,” just think of the classic farmhouse milk. And the “KETO” answer, well, that’s been on everybody’s radar for a while now.

That’s the whole grid. Fill it in, double‑check the letters, and you’ll have a completed puzzle in under five minutes – perfect for a quick brain‑gym session before the workday really gets going.

Need more help with daily puzzles? CNET also posts answers and hints for Wordle, Connections, Strands and the regular NYT Crossword. So whether you’re a crossword veteran or a newcomer, you’ve got a reliable source right at your fingertips.

Enjoy the solve, and remember: a little pause for a puzzle can be a nice mental reset. Happy crossing!