NYT Mini Crossword Answers – Saturday, February 14, 2026

Need the complete NYT Mini Crossword answers for Saturday, February 14, 2026? Today’s puzzle was slightly larger than the typical weekday 5×5 grid, but still packed with short, clever clues and pop culture references.

Below you’ll find all Across and Down answers, plus a breakdown of the trickiest spots.

Puzzle date: Saturday, February 14, 2026
Game: Mini Crossword by The New York Times
Difficulty: 3/5 ⭐

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🟦 Mini Across Clues & Answers

1A. Org. with a Slam Dunk Contest
👉 NBA
(Refers to the NBA All-Star Weekend event.)

4A. Menacing creature in “The Lord of the Rings”
👉 ORC
(A staple villain species in Tolkien’s world.)

7A. Spherical shape
👉 ORB

8A. Greek “r”
👉 RHO
(A nod to the Greek alphabet — short but sneaky.)

9A. Symbol on Hawaii’s license plate
👉 RAINBOW
(Hawaii is nicknamed the “Rainbow State.”)

11A. Magazine with show listings
👉 TV GUIDE

12A. Showed support to, as a text message
👉 HEARTED
(A modern clue — reacting with a heart emoji.)

13A. Moves up the rankings
👉 RISES

14A. Kind of lighting whose first letter stands for “light”
👉 LED
(Light-Emitting Diode.)

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🟩 Mini Down Clues & Answers

1D. The Australian continent moves subtly this direction each year (about 3 inches)
👉 NORTH
(A tectonic plate reference.)

2D. More courageous
👉 BRAVER

3D. Virginia governor Spanberger
👉 ABIGAIL
(Refers to Abigail Spanberger.)

4D. Went around the world?
👉 ORBITED
(Clever wordplay.)

5D. Colossus of ___, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
👉 RHODES

6D. Intimidated
👉 COWED

10D. Hospital worker
👉 NURSE

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🧠 Tricky Clues Explained

• HEARTED vs. “LIKED IT”: The clue allowed multiple interpretations, but only HEARTED fit the grid.
• RHO may have tested Greek alphabet memory.
• ABIGAIL required awareness of current U.S. politics.

Saturday Minis often include slightly broader knowledge areas — from ancient history (RHODES) to modern texting culture (HEARTED).

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📊 Puzzle Highlights

• Balanced mix of pop culture, politics, geography, and science
• Several short three-letter entries made crossings helpful
• Slightly larger grid than usual weekday Mini

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❓ FAQ – NYT Mini Crossword February 14, 2026

Q: What was 12-Across today?
A: HEARTED.

Q: Who is Spanberger in 3-Down?
A: Abigail Spanberger.

Q: Was today’s Mini harder than average?
A: Slightly — mainly due to the longer Across entries and proper nouns.

Q: Where can I play the NYT Mini Crossword?
A: Free daily on The New York Times Games website or app.

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