Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans into playful anagrams, brisk trivia, and crisp conversational cluing. Settle in for a lively solve with several 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: 11x11
Total Clues: 40 (19 Across, 21 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 22A is the trickiest clue because its transformation must produce both a plausible title and an African country.
Gimme Clue: 1A is the clearest gimme, since Shrek's creature type is instantly recognizable.
Theme Spotted: "Mixed Drinks"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Shrek, for one
Hint: Think of the fairy-tale creature Shrek is, rather than his home or occupation. Four letters, starts with O.
5A. Midwinter mugful
Hint: Picture the classic hot chocolate drink served steaming in a mug during cold weather. Five letters, starts with C.
10A. Ode or haiku
Hint: Both examples belong to the same broad literary form, usually arranged in lines or verses. Four letters, starts with P.
11A. Say angrily
Hint: Use a verb for speaking with a harsh, visibly angry edge. Five letters, starts with S.
12A. Boxer's decoy punch
Hint: A boxer throws this deceptive motion to draw a reaction before the genuine punch. Five letters, starts with F.
13A. Has a predisposition (to)
Hint: The grammar calls for a verb meaning is inclined or habitually likely to behave a certain way. Five letters, starts with T.
14A. The Stonewall ___ (gay bar designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000)
Hint: Complete the official name of the landmark Greenwich Village bar associated with the modern gay rights movement. Three letters, starts with I.
15A. Top of a company's org chart
Hint: Use the familiar executive abbreviation for the person occupying the highest corporate position. Three letters, starts with C.
16A. Person posting intentionally infuriating content online ... or an anagram of BEERGARITA
Hint: The target labels an online provocateur who posts material designed to make readers furious. Rearrange the supplied drink phrase exactly. Ten letters, starts with R.
22A. Certain beauty pageant winner in Africa ... or an anagram of MANGO LASSI
Hint: Form the complete pageant title for a national winner by rearranging the supplied smoothie phrase. Ten letters, starts with M.
23A. Adolescent ... or an anagram of GREEN TEA
Hint: Think of a young person between childhood and adulthood, then verify the supplied tea phrase as exact anagram fodder. Eight letters, starts with T.
24A. It might be metaphorically sucked out of a room
Hint: The clue invokes the figurative substance that seems to vanish when shocking news silences a room. Three letters, starts with A.
26A. Tasks on a list
Hint: Think of the action items waiting to be checked off on a personal list. Five letters, starts with T.
28A. A pair apiece
Hint: Translate the clue into a distribution phrase meaning a pair for every recipient. Seven letters, starts with T.
32A. "Yes, monsieur"
Hint: Give the standard French affirmative that naturally addresses the gentleman in the clue. Three letters, starts with O.
33A. One-named R&B singer with the 2024 hit "Nasty"
Hint: Think of the mononymous American singer and dancer behind the quoted R&B hit. Seven letters, starts with T.
34A. Chapel Hill sch.
Hint: Use the familiar initials for the public university based in Chapel Hill. Three letters, starts with U.
35A. Like sharp facial features
Hint: Picture facial features defined by sharp corners, strong lines, and pronounced edges. Seven letters, starts with A.
36A. Six-point N.F.L. scores: Abbr.
Hint: Use football's standard plural abbreviation for the scoring plays worth six points. Three letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. ChatGPT's company
Hint: Think of the research organization behind ChatGPT and DALL-E. Six letters, starts with O.
2D. Alive and well
Hint: Use an upbeat idiom describing a person, effort, or institution that remains healthy and successful. 11 letters, starts with G.
3D. ___ Faire (jousting venue, informally)
Hint: The blank takes the casual shortening of the historical-era term used in the faire's full name. Three letters, starts with R.
4D. Ambulance worker, for short
Hint: Use the standard occupational initialism for a medical responder who works from an ambulance. Three letters, starts with E.
5D. Winter hrs. in St. Louis
Hint: Convert St. Louis winter clock time into the usual American time-zone abbreviation. Three letters, starts with C.
6D. 6-Down times 6-Down
Hint: The entry must equal its own square, and the crossings settle the intended positive value. Three letters, starts with O.
7D. Negated
Hint: Think of a phrase for quantities or effects that neutralized each other completely. 11 letters, starts with C.
8D. Be bossy toward
Hint: Use a phrasal verb for treating another person bossily and issuing constant commands. 11 letters, starts with O.
9D. In addition
Hint: Look for a compact connective meaning additionally or furthermore. Four letters, starts with A.
12D. Like a strong handshake
Hint: A strong handshake feels solid and steady rather than limp or yielding. Four letters, starts with F.
17D. Suffix in some language names
Hint: Think of the ending shared by language names such as Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese. Three letters, starts with E.
18D. Main squeeze, in 2010s slang
Hint: Use the affectionate pet name that became especially prominent in the slang decade specified. Three letters, starts with B.
19D. ___ Arbor, Mich.
Hint: Complete the Michigan city that is home to the University of Michigan. Three letters, starts with A.
20D. "So they tell me ..."
Hint: Supply a conversational phrase meaning that something is your understanding based on what others have said. Seven letters, starts with I.
21D. Country between Ghana and Benin
Hint: Look east of Ghana and west of Benin on a map of West Africa. Four letters, starts with T.
24D. Encouraging word before "boy" or "girl"
Hint: Complete the familiar clipped cheer of encouragement used before either noun in the clue. Four letters, starts with A.
25D. "Victory is mine!"
Hint: Use the triumphant first-person declaration made after defeating an opponent. Four letters, starts with I.
27D. Orders to attack, with "on"
Hint: Think of the verb used when directing a dog or another attacker toward a target. Four letters, starts with S.
29D. ___ Claire, Wis.
Hint: Complete the Wisconsin city with the French word for water. Three letters, starts with E.
30D. Language with handshapes, in brief
Hint: Use the familiar initialism for the signed language named by the clue. Three letters, starts with A.
31D. "___-ching!"
Hint: Supply the opening beat of the playful cash-register sound effect. Three letters, starts with C.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Shrek, for one
Answer: OGRE
5A. Midwinter mugful
Answer: COCOA
10A. Ode or haiku
Answer: POEM
11A. Say angrily
Answer: SNARL
12A. Boxer's decoy punch
Answer: FEINT
13A. Has a predisposition (to)
Answer: TENDS
14A. The Stonewall ___ (gay bar designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000)
Answer: INN
15A. Top of a company's org chart
Answer: CEO
16A. Person posting intentionally infuriating content online ... or an anagram of BEERGARITA
Answer: RAGEBAITER
22A. Certain beauty pageant winner in Africa ... or an anagram of MANGO LASSI
Answer: MISSANGOLA
23A. Adolescent ... or an anagram of GREEN TEA
Answer: TEENAGER
24A. It might be metaphorically sucked out of a room
Answer: AIR
26A. Tasks on a list
Answer: TODOS
28A. A pair apiece
Answer: TWOEACH
32A. "Yes, monsieur"
Answer: OUI
33A. One-named R&B singer with the 2024 hit "Nasty"
Answer: TINASHE
34A. Chapel Hill sch.
Answer: UNC
35A. Like sharp facial features
Answer: ANGULAR
36A. Six-point N.F.L. scores: Abbr.
Answer: TDS
Down Answers
1D. ChatGPT's company
Answer: OPENAI
2D. Alive and well
Answer: GOINGSTRONG
3D. ___ Faire (jousting venue, informally)
Answer: REN
4D. Ambulance worker, for short
Answer: EMT
5D. Winter hrs. in St. Louis
Answer: CST
6D. 6-Down times 6-Down
Answer: ONE
7D. Negated
Answer: CANCELEDOUT
8D. Be bossy toward
Answer: ORDERAROUND
9D. In addition
Answer: ALSO
12D. Like a strong handshake
Answer: FIRM
17D. Suffix in some language names
Answer: ESE
18D. Main squeeze, in 2010s slang
Answer: BAE
19D. ___ Arbor, Mich.
Answer: ANN
20D. "So they tell me ..."
Answer: IGATHER
21D. Country between Ghana and Benin
Answer: TOGO
24D. Encouraging word before "boy" or "girl"
Answer: ATTA
25D. "Victory is mine!"
Answer: IWIN
27D. Orders to attack, with "on"
Answer: SICS
29D. ___ Claire, Wis.
Answer: EAU
30D. Language with handshapes, in brief
Answer: ASL
31D. "___-ching!"
Answer: CHA
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 22A, “Certain beauty pageant winner in Africa ... or an anagram of MANGO LASSI,” produces MISS ANGOLA. It defines the grid because the rearrangement turns a familiar drink into a perfectly natural pageant title with a sharp semantic leap.
Wordplay Winner: RAGEBAITER at 16A wins the wordplay prize. Rearranging BEERGARITA converts a drink into a current label for an online provocateur, with every letter accounted for.
Quick Fill: OGRE at 1A was the fastest confident fill because Shrek makes the definition immediate. Its crossings launch OPENAI, GOING STRONG, REN, and EMT, giving the upper grid a sturdy framework.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a clue supplies explicit anagram fodder, write the letters in chunks and test the definition simultaneously. That approach makes RAGEBAITER, MISS ANGOLA, and TEENAGER much faster than free-form rearranging.
Use the compact trivia fills to seed the long vertical phrases. OPENAI, CST, and ALSO drop in fast at the top of the grid, and the Across entries they help complete are what supply the crossing letters for CANCELED OUT and ORDER AROUND.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, balancing direct entries with three clean anagram payoffs. MISS ANGOLA delivered the most memorable reveal, while the long Down phrases kept the solve moving.
See you at the next grid.
