"Believe it or ___ ..."

Latest answer — September 26, 2026

5 Down

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Clue explained

The familiar phrase is “Believe it or not ...,” so NOT completes the quoted expression. It functions as the contrasting alternative to “believe it.”

Clue type:
Fill-in-the-blank
A speech bubble displaying the phrase “Believe it or not”

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 26, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Alphabet song lyric before "Now I know my ABCs"
  2. 8Sea creature whose name sounds like "Ah, baloney!"
  3. 9Skin markings after a sunny day on the links
  4. 10Gen ___ (member of the "MTV generation")
  5. 11Medieval weapon
  6. 15Fasting intermittently, say
  7. 16Phrases differently

Down

  1. 1Shake, like a dog's tail
  2. 2Gaming console with a number in its name
  3. 3Prestigious J.D. program in New Haven, Conn.
  4. 4Creamy pasta sauce
  5. 5"Believe it or ___ ..."
  6. 6Double-helix molecule
  7. 7Buddhism branch associated with gardens
  8. 11"___ favor" (basic Spanish phrase)
  9. 12What snowboarders try to catch
  10. 13Crossed (out)
  11. 14Creatures on U.F.O.s, for short

The answer to “"Believe it or ___ ..."” in the New York Times Mini crossword is NOT — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on September 26, 2026 at 5-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“"Believe it or ___ ..."” answer

NOT (3 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's NOT.

What does NOT mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of NOT is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(adverb)

  • used with an auxiliary verb or ‘be’ to form the negative
  • used as a short substitute for a negative clause
  • used to express the negative of other words

When else has “"Believe it or ___ ..."” appeared?

New York Times Mini reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

September 26, 2026 (most recent) → NOT. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Believe it or ___ ..."”?

The answer is NOT, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on September 26, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Believe it or ___ ..."”?

3 letters: NOT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on September 26, 2026, at 5-Down.

Can “"Believe it or ___ ..."” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times Mini sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of today's NYT Mini answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the NYT Mini answers page.

New York Times Mini Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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