Mini #43 — the answers

The Mini crossword from October 14, 2026: a 5×5 grid, 5 across and 5 down, filled in the order the crossings give it away.

The clues

Across

1. 1. Beetle, e.g. — BUG
2. 4. Solo — ALONE
3. 6. Tree sap — RESIN
4. 7. Sample, as wine — TASTE
5. 8. Where clouds are — SKY

Down

1. 1. Domineering — BOSSY
2. 2. Single item — UNIT
3. 3. DNA unit — GENE
4. 4. Liberal ___ — ARTS
5. 5. Faucet drip — LEAK

The walkthrough

One way through: start at 1-Across, then let each answer feed the words it crosses — the slot with the most letters already showing is the one to fill next.

1. 1-Across, “Beetle, e.g.” — nothing given yet: BUG.
2. 1-Down, “Domineering” — B···· from the crossings: BOSSY.
3. 4-Across, “Solo” — ··O·· from the crossings: ALONE.
4. 2-Down, “Single item” — UN·· from the crossings: UNIT.
5. 6-Across, “Tree sap” — ··SI· from the crossings: RESIN.
6. 3-Down, “DNA unit” — GEN· from the crossings: GENE.
7. 7-Across, “Sample, as wine” — ··STE from the crossings: TASTE.
8. 4-Down, “Liberal ___” — ART· from the crossings: ARTS.
9. 5-Down, “Faucet drip” — LEA· from the crossings: LEAK.
10. 8-Across, “Where clouds are” — already spelled out by its crossings: SKY.

The answer

Previous: Mini #42 (Tue, Oct 13) · Next: Mini #44 (Thu, Oct 15) · All Mini solutions

About Mini

Mini is Noggin’s five-by-five crossword, on the second shelf: one grid a day against the clock, outside the daily line-up. How to play Mini, or play today’s.