A method is provided for fabricating cross-coupled line segments for use, for instance, as a hard mask in fabricating cross-coupled gates of two or more transistors. Fabricating the structure includes: providing a sacrificial mandrel on the substrate, the sacrificial mandrel including a transverse gap through the mandrel separating the sacrificial mandrel into a first mandrel portion and a second mandrel portion; providing a sidewall spacer along sidewalls of the sacrificial mandrel, where sidewall spacers along sidewalls of the first mandrel portion and the second mandrel portion merge within the transverse gap and form a crossbar; and removing the sacrificial mandrel and selectively cutting the sidewall spacers to define the cross-coupled line segments from the sidewall spacers and crossbar. The transverse gap may be provided by directly printing the first and second mandrel portions spaced apart, or by cutting the sacrificial mandrel to provide the gap.