Need help with today's NYT Mini Crossword? Here are all the clues, hints, and full answers for Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Hints come first — scroll past them only when you're ready for the full solutions.
What Is the NYT Mini Crossword?
The NYT Mini Crossword is a compact 5×5 daily puzzle from The New York Times. Designed to be solved in just a few minutes, it's a perfect brain warm-up before tackling bigger puzzles. Most weekday grids feature five Across and five Down clues, with the occasional tricky wordplay or timely pop culture reference to keep things interesting.
Across Clues and Hints — March 24, 2026
1 Across: Apple computers
Hint: Plural abbreviation, 4 letters. Think of the desktop and laptop line from Cupertino.
5 Across: Colorful parrot with a long tail
Hint: 5 letters. A vibrant bird popular as a pet and famous for its bright plumage and vocal abilities.
6 Across: Enticing scent
Hint: 5 letters. The word you'd use for a pleasing smell drifting from a bakery or flower garden.
7 Across: ___ song (dangerous lure)
Hint: 5 letters. Think Greek mythology — creatures who lured sailors with their voices.
8 Across: "Barbie" character whose job is "beach"
Hint: 3 letters. Not Barbie herself — her famous counterpart.
Down Clues and Hints — March 24, 2026
1 Down: Singing sister in the Osmond family
Hint: 5 letters. She had a hugely successful solo career in country and pop music.
2 Down: Future oak tree, perhaps
Hint: 5 letters. A small, hard seed that grows into one of the largest trees in the forest.
3 Down: Attended
Hint: 4 letters. A simple past-tense verb meaning you showed up or were present.
4 Down: ___ song (farewell performance)
Hint: 4 letters. This graceful bird is the subject of a famous poetic phrase about a final act.
5 Down: Conceal
Hint: 4 letters. Also the name of a face covering that hides your identity.
Across Answers — March 24, 2026
1 Across: Apple computers
Answer: MACS
The everyday shorthand for Apple's Mac line of personal computers, from the MacBook to the iMac.
5 Across: Colorful parrot with a long tail
Answer: MACAW
Macaws are striking tropical parrots known for their vivid feathers and impressive wingspan. They're one of the most recognisable birds on the planet.
6 Across: Enticing scent
Answer: AROMA
An aroma is a pleasant, often appetising smell — the word shares roots with "aromatic" and frequently pops up in food and fragrance writing.
7 Across: ___ song (dangerous lure)
Answer: SIREN
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were creatures whose enchanting singing drew sailors toward rocks and destruction. A "siren song" still describes any dangerously tempting appeal.
8 Across: "Barbie" character whose job is "beach"
Answer: KEN
In the 2023 Barbie film, Ken's official job title is simply "beach" — one of the movie's many comic details. Short, snappy, and crossword-friendly.
Down Answers — March 24, 2026
1 Down: Singing sister in the Osmond family
Answer: MARIE
Marie Osmond is the only girl among the Osmond siblings and built a long solo career with hits including Paper Roses. She's a pop culture icon from the 1970s through today.
2 Down: Future oak tree, perhaps
Answer: ACORN
Every oak tree begins as a small acorn. The clue's "perhaps" is a gentle hedge — not every acorn makes it to adulthood — which is classic Mini Crossword precision.
3 Down: Attended
Answer: CAME
A clean, simple past tense. You came, you saw, you solved.
4 Down: ___ song (farewell performance)
Answer: SWAN
A "swan song" refers to a final, often beautiful act before the end — drawn from the old belief that swans sing just before they die. Notice how this clue pairs with 7 Across: both use the "___ song" construction with entirely different meanings, which is clever grid design.
5 Down: Conceal
Answer: MASK
To mask something is to hide or disguise it. The word intersects neatly with MACAW at the M, anchoring the left side of the grid.
Full Answers Summary — March 24, 2026
Across
- 1A: MACS
- 5A: MACAW
- 6A: AROMA
- 7A: SIREN
- 8A: KEN
Down
- 1D: MARIE
- 2D: ACORN
- 3D: CAME
- 4D: SWAN
- 5D: MASK
Today's grid had a satisfying hidden theme running through it: both 7 Across (SIREN) and 4 Down (SWAN) use the "___ song" construction in their clues, yet they mean very different things — one is a dangerous lure, the other a graceful farewell. Solvers who spotted this connection may have found both answers quickly; those who didn't could easily confuse one for the other and drop the wrong word into the grid.
More Daily Puzzle Help
Looking for hints from other days? Check out our recent guides:
- Sunday March 22, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
- Saturday March 21, 2026 NYT Mini Crossword Hints and Answers
Need help with other word puzzles?