Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and mixes approachable trivia with crisp conversational wordplay and a pair of lively grid-spanning phrases. Settle in for a friendly challenge with a few satisfying turns.
How The Midi Works
The Midi is the middle ground between the Mini and the classic NYT Crossword, offering a mid-size grid that takes a few satisfying minutes to clear. Solve the intersecting words, and when the grid is complete, you'll hear a satisfying chime.
New puzzles drop daily. The Midi offers more complexity than the Mini while remaining accessible for solvers who want a quick but substantial challenge.
Quick Scan
In a rush? Here's the at-a-glance breakdown for today's puzzle:
Grid Size: 10x9
Total Clues: 33 (15 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 24D is the trickiest clue because its question mark signals a prefix-based interpretation rather than an ordinary beginning.
Gimme Clue: 1D is the clearest gimme, since the animated ice queen is an instantly recognizable character.
Theme Spotted: "Pay Up Front"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Frittata ingredients
Hint: For 1A, picture what gets whisked before a frittata goes into the pan. Four letters, starts with E.
5A. Fortuneteller's card
Hint: For 5A, think of the illustrated deck used for divination. Five letters, starts with T.
10A. ___ Bunny (Bugs Bunny's love interest)
Hint: For 10A, recall the female rabbit who is Bugs Bunny's romantic counterpart. Four letters, starts with L.
11A. State whose standard license plate once had an image of a potato on it
Hint: For 11A, look to the northwestern state strongly associated with potatoes. Five letters, starts with I.
12A. Spark a relationship on Tinder, say
Hint: For 12A, make the approving touchscreen gesture used on the dating app named in the clue. Ten letters, starts with S.
14A. Author Patchett
Hint: For 14A, think of the novelist behind Bel Canto and The Dutch House. Three letters, starts with A.
15A. "I told you so!"
Hint: For 15A, use the brief attention-getter that can precede the quoted retort. Three letters, starts with S.
16A. Throw in the towel
Hint: For 16A, picture the signal a fighter gives to concede a match. Six letters, starts with T.
19A. Musician Bega or Reed
Hint: For 19A, find the short name shared by the two musicians in the clue. Three letters, starts with L.
20A. "You are what you ___"
Hint: For 20A, complete the familiar saying about food shaping identity. Three letters, starts with E.
23A. Instruction on a gumball machine
Hint: For 23A, picture the wording beside the coin slot on a candy dispenser. Ten letters, starts with I.
27A. Laugh at a joke, in a way
Hint: For 27A, use the general verb for responding visibly to humor. Five letters, starts with R.
28A. Thingy
Hint: For 28A, choose a neutral noun for an unspecified object. Four letters, starts with I.
29A. Wearing them with sandals may be considered a fashion faux pas
Hint: For 29A, picture the garments that spark the sandal fashion debate. Five letters, starts with S.
30A. Fella
Hint: For 30A, choose a slightly old-fashioned, British-flavored word for a man. Four letters, starts with C.
Down Hints
1D. Ice queen in "Frozen"
Hint: For 1D, name the royal character from the animated film in the clue. Four letters, starts with E.
2D. Hospital patient's attire
Hint: For 2D, picture the loose garment issued to someone staying in a hospital. Four letters, starts with G.
3D. Gleam
Hint: For 3D, think of a brief flash reflected from a shiny surface. Five letters, starts with G.
4D. Raw ingredient in maple syrup
Hint: For 4D, think of the fluid collected from a maple tree before processing. Three letters, starts with S.
5D. Lose steam
Hint: For 5D, use a phrasal verb meaning to drain someone's energy. Seven letters, starts with T.
6D. "Au revoir!"
Hint: For 6D, a formal French farewell is wanted. Five letters, starts with A.
7D. Use for an old shirt
Hint: For 7D, picture the cleaning role an old shirt can assume. Three letters, starts with R.
8D. "I can't believe I didn't get that"
Hint: For 8D, use the short sound of belated realization after missing something obvious. Three letters, starts with O.
9D. Tater ___
Hint: For 9D, complete the snack-food phrase for a bite-sized potato side. Three letters, starts with T.
13D. Competitive video gaming
Hint: For 13D, name the organized form of competitive video gaming. Seven letters, starts with E.
17D. Smart ___ (wise guy)
Hint: For 17D, complete the mildly mocking phrase for a wise guy. Five letters, starts with A.
18D. They're shown in a full smile
Hint: For 18D, think of what a broad smile puts on display. Five letters, starts with T.
21D. Word with code, map or rug
Hint: For 21D, find the noun that can precede each word in the clue. Four letters, starts with A.
22D. Seasonal mall elf, say
Hint: For 22D, think of a short-term employee hired to wear a holiday costume at a shopping center. Four letters, starts with T.
23D. Org. offering a "Free File" option
Hint: For 23D, identify the federal tax agency behind the filing service named in the clue. Three letters, starts with I.
24D. Start of something new?
Hint: For 24D, treat “new” as a clue to a prefix rather than a description of an object. Three letters, starts with N.
25D. The Kings, on N.B.A. scoreboards
Hint: For 25D, use the city abbreviation attached to the Kings on basketball scoreboards. Three letters, starts with S.
26D. Beverage with Orange Lavaburst and Boppin' Strawberry varieties
Hint: For 26D, think of the juice-drink brand that sells the two fruit flavors named in the clue. Three letters, starts with H.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1A. Frittata ingredients
Answer: EGGS
5A. Fortuneteller's card
Answer: TAROT
10A. ___ Bunny (Bugs Bunny's love interest)
Answer: LOLA
11A. State whose standard license plate once had an image of a potato on it
Answer: IDAHO
12A. Spark a relationship on Tinder, say
Answer: SWIPERIGHT
14A. Author Patchett
Answer: ANN
15A. "I told you so!"
Answer: SEE
16A. Throw in the towel
Answer: TAPOUT
19A. Musician Bega or Reed
Answer: LOU
20A. "You are what you ___"
Answer: EAT
23A. Instruction on a gumball machine
Answer: INSERTHERE
27A. Laugh at a joke, in a way
Answer: REACT
28A. Thingy
Answer: ITEM
29A. Wearing them with sandals may be considered a fashion faux pas
Answer: SOCKS
30A. Fella
Answer: CHAP
Down Answers
1D. Ice queen in "Frozen"
Answer: ELSA
2D. Hospital patient's attire
Answer: GOWN
3D. Gleam
Answer: GLINT
4D. Raw ingredient in maple syrup
Answer: SAP
5D. Lose steam
Answer: TIREOUT
6D. "Au revoir!"
Answer: ADIEU
7D. Use for an old shirt
Answer: RAG
8D. "I can't believe I didn't get that"
Answer: OHH
9D. Tater ___
Answer: TOT
13D. Competitive video gaming
Answer: ESPORTS
17D. Smart ___ (wise guy)
Answer: ALECK
18D. They're shown in a full smile
Answer: TEETH
21D. Word with code, map or rug
Answer: AREA
22D. Seasonal mall elf, say
Answer: TEMP
23D. Org. offering a "Free File" option
Answer: IRS
24D. Start of something new?
Answer: NEO
25D. The Kings, on N.B.A. scoreboards
Answer: SAC
26D. Beverage with Orange Lavaburst and Boppin' Strawberry varieties
Answer: HIC
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 23A, “Instruction on a gumball machine,” defines INSERTHERE with satisfying literal precision. The answer reads exactly like wording printed beside the machine's coin slot.
Wordplay Winner: 24D wins the wordplay prize with NEO. “Start of something new?” turns “new” into the meaning of a prefix, and the question mark cleanly signals that shift.
Quick Fill: ELSA was the fastest confident fill, and it supplies the left edge for EGGS, LOLA, SWIPERIGHT, and ANN. Those crossings establish a sturdy run down the grid's western side.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Attack the full-width phrases through crossings instead of forcing the wording immediately. Short entries around SWIPERIGHT and INSERTHERE expose enough structure to make both phrases clear.
When a question mark points toward word construction, test prefixes and suffixes early. That habit unlocks NEO at 24D without chasing a literal object.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair, balancing direct knowledge with compact misdirection. INSERTHERE provided the cleanest payoff and gave the lower half a memorable center.
See you at the next grid.
