NYT Mini Crossword Answers – Monday, February 2, 2026

NYT Mini Crossword Answers – Monday, February 2, 2026

Need today’s NYT Mini Crossword answers for Monday, February 2, 2026? We’ve got the full grid solutions, clue breakdowns, and tips to help you finish — even on a tougher-than-usual Monday Mini!

Today’s 5×5 grid featured some clever misdirection and pop-culture references (AC/DC albums, Jared Leto in Tron: Ares), making it feel a bit trickier than average.

Puzzle date: Monday, February 2, 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 2, 2026

Across

• 1A. Rock band with albums like “High Voltage” and “Flick of the Switch” → ACDC
  (AC/DC — iconic Australian hard rock band)
• 5A. Stuck doing the same old, same old → INARUT
  (In a rut — idiom for being stuck in routine)
• 7A. Burning up → ONFIRE
  (On fire — slang for performing exceptionally well)
• 8A. -tion, for one → SUFFIX
  (Grammatical suffix — -tion is a common noun-forming suffix)
• 9A. Jared of 2025’s “Tron: Ares” → LETO
  (Jared Leto — actor cast in the upcoming Tron sequel)

Down

• 1D. Declare void, as a marriage → ANNUL
• 2D. _ macchiato (espresso drink) → CAFFE
  (Caffè macchiato — Italian coffee drink)
• 3D. Begin to veer off the road, say → DRIFT
• 4D. Odd little trinket → CURIO
• 5D. What Apple smartphones run on → IOS
• 6D. _-Mex cuisine → TEX
  (Tex-Mex — fusion of Texas and Mexican food)

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Why Today’s Mini Was Tricky

• Pop-culture clues — ACDC albums and Jared Leto in Tron: Ares require some music/movie knowledge.
• Idioms & suffixes — INARUT and SUFFIX are clever but not super common in everyday speech.
• Short but dense — Lots of 4–6 letter words with crossings that lock in quickly once you get one right.
• Average time — Experienced solvers ~50–100 seconds; beginners 2–5 minutes (vs. usual 30–90 sec).

Tip — Start with short 3–4 letter clues (ACDC, LETO, IOS, TEX) to unlock crossings into longer words like INARUT and ONFIRE.

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FAQ – NYT Mini Crossword February 2, 2026

Q: What are the answers to today’s NYT Mini Crossword (Feb 2, 2026)?
A: Across: ACDC, INARUT, ONFIRE, SUFFIX, LETO
Down: ANNUL, CAFFE, DRIFT, CURIO, IOS, TEX

Q: What rock band has albums “High Voltage” and “Flick of the Switch”?
A: ACDC — classic AC/DC (often written without the slash in puzzles).

Q: Why “CAFFE” for macchiato?
A: Caffè macchiato — the Italian name for the espresso drink “stained” with milk foam.

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 was slightly harder due to cultural clues.

Q: Was today’s Mini harder or easier than usual?
A: A bit trickier — music/movie references + idioms made it more challenging than average.

Q: Got any tips for solving the Mini faster?
A: Fill short words first, use crossings, look for common endings (-ED, -UT), and don’t overthink cultural clues.

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

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