Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s the long Saturday version, and some of the clues are stumpers. I was really thrown by 10-Across. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for Feb. 21, 2026.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: “Jersey Shore” channel
Answer: MTV
4A clue: “___ Knows” (rhyming ad slogan)
Answer: LOWES
6A clue: Second-best-selling female musician of all time, behind Taylor Swift
Answer: MADONNA
8A clue: Whiskey grain
Answer: RYE
9A clue: Dreaded workday: Abbr.
Answer: MON
10A clue: Backfiring blunder, in modern lingo
Answer: SELFOWN
12A clue: Lengthy sheet for a complicated board game, perhaps
Answer: RULES
13A clue: Subtle “Yes”
Answer: NOD
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: In which high schoolers might role-play as ambassadors
Answer: MODELUN
2D clue: This clue number
Answer: TWO
3D clue: Paid via app, perhaps
Answer: VENMOED
4D clue: Coat of paint
Answer: LAYER
5D clue: Falls in winter, say
Answer: SNOWS
6D clue: Married title
Answer: MRS
7D clue: ___ Arbor, Mich.
Answer: ANN
11D clue: Woman in Progressive ads
Answer: FLO
