NYT Mini Crossword Answers – Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Need today’s NYT Mini Crossword answers for Wednesday, February 4, 2026? We’ve got the full grid solutions, clue breakdowns, and tips to help you finish — even if Greek letters or recent news rebrands aren’t your strong suit!

Today’s 5×5 grid had a few modern/current-event clues that made it feel a bit trickier than average, but short words kept it solvable.

Puzzle date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Editor: Joel Fagliano (standard Mini constructor)
Play free: nytimes.com/crosswords (Mini tab) or NYT Games app

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Full NYT Mini Crossword Answers – Feb 4, 2026

Across

• 1A. “The Rachel Maddow Show” channel, after a 2025 rebranding → MSNOW
  (MSNBC rebranded “The Rachel Maddow Show” channel reference — MS + NOW)
• 6A. Childhood → YOUTH
• 7A. Greek letter after zeta and eta → THETA
  (Greek alphabet: …zeta, eta, theta, iota…)
• 8A. What helicopter parents do → HOVER
• 9A. Sound at the dog park → ARF

Down

• 1D. “Cats always land on their feet,” e.g. → MYTH
• 2D. Neighborhood in both London and Manhattan → SOHO
  (SoHo in NYC and Soho in London — both famous districts)
• 3D. _ York, Spanish name for New York → NUEVA
  (Nueva York — literal Spanish translation)
• 4D. Furry mammal that eats crustaceans → OTTER
  (Sea otters famously eat crabs, clams, etc.)
• 5D. Docking area → WHARF

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Why Today’s Mini Was a Bit Challenging

• Current-event clue — “MSNOW” requires knowing the 2025 Rachel Maddow/MSNBC rebranding (MS + NOW).
• Greek alphabet — THETA is correct but many people blank on the order (zeta → eta → theta).
• Wordplay — “Cats always land on their feet” as MYTH is clever (it’s a common myth).
• Average time — Experienced solvers ~50–100 seconds; beginners 2–5 minutes (slightly harder than usual due to rebranding clue).

Tip — Start with short 3-letter clues (ARF, WOW-like) and Greek letters (THETA) to unlock crossings into longer words like MSNOW and YOUTH.

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FAQ – NYT Mini Crossword February 4, 2026

Q: What are the answers to today’s NYT Mini Crossword (Feb 4, 2026)?
A: Across: MSNOW, YOUTH, THETA, HOVER, ARF
Down: MYTH, SOHO, NUEVA, OTTER, WHARF

Q: What is “MSNOW” for the Rachel Maddow clue?
A: Refers to MSNBC’s 2025 rebranding of “The Rachel Maddow Show” channel — MS (MSNBC) + NOW.

Q: Why “THETA” after zeta and eta?
A: Greek alphabet order: …zeta, eta, theta, iota…

Q: Where can I play the NYT Mini Crossword?
A: Free on nytimes.com/crosswords or in the NYT Games app (no subscription required for Mini).

Q: How long should the Mini take?
A: Usually 30 seconds to 3 minutes — today’s rebranding clue added slight difficulty.

Q: Was today’s Mini harder or easier than usual?
A: A bit trickier — modern news reference + Greek alphabet order made it more challenging.

Q: Got any tips for solving the Mini faster?
A: Fill short words first, use crossings, watch for news/pop-culture clues, and remember Greek alphabet order.

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Finished? Drop your time in the comments!
⏱️ Under 1 minute? Legend. Struggled with MSNOW or THETA? Totally normal — those tripped up plenty of solvers.

Come back daily for fresh NYT Mini Crossword hints, answers, and breakdowns. Happy solving! 🧩☕