Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and mixes compact wordplay, broad trivia, and a timely motorsports thread. Settle in for a lively grid with several crisp footholds.
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: 30 (15 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 19D is the trickiest clue because it asks you to classify a date-specific event through a cross-reference, so both the calendar and 4D matter.
Gimme Clue: 18D is the easiest gimme, since its plain mathematical definition supplies an immediate foothold.
Theme Spotted: "Doing Laps"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Hot stone massage locale
Hint: Picture the serene business where heated rocks are used during a massage. Three letters, starts with S.
4A. "___ yourself!" ("Get ready for impact!")
Hint: This command is shouted just before a jolt, collision, or rough landing. Five letters, starts with B.
9A. Gear tooth
Hint: Focus on the individual toothed projection around a gear wheel. Three letters, starts with C.
10A. Event with teams of runners
Hint: Think of the track event in which teammates take turns carrying a baton. Five letters, starts with R.
11A. Letters before an alias
Hint: The clue wants the familiar abbreviation that introduces another name or identity. Three letters, starts with A.
12A. "Your problems matter to me"
Hint: Turn the sentiment into a compact assurance of empathy and attention. Five letters, starts with I.
13A. Inclined to keep one's emotions close to the chest
Hint: Find the personality adjective for a person who is reluctant to disclose feelings. Eight letters, starts with R.
15A. Cubicle fixtures
Hint: Think of the work surfaces commonly installed inside office cubicles. Five letters, starts with D.
16A. Pearl producer
Hint: The target is a shellfish famous for forming pearls inside its shell. Six letters, starts with O.
20A. President who signed the Affordable Care Act into law
Hint: Identify the U.S. president whose signature enacted the Affordable Care Act. Five letters, starts with O.
23A. Eggs at an I.V.F. lab
Hint: Use the biological plural for egg cells handled in a fertility laboratory. Three letters, starts with O.
24A. Stick that might measure a foot
Hint: The stick is a straight measuring tool, and a foot is the unit rather than the anatomy. Five letters, starts with R.
25A. Month in which Omisoka (Japanese New Year's Eve) is celebrated: Abbr.
Hint: Omisoka falls on the final day of the year's final month, and the clue requests its abbreviation. Three letters, starts with D.
26A. Birthday greeting in an inbox
Hint: Think of a digital birthday greeting delivered through email rather than the postal service. Five letters, starts with E.
27A. Number that appears in "loneliest number," appropriately
Hint: The lyric's number matches the singular quantity implied by the superlative. Three letters, starts with O.
Down Hints
1D. "The Lion King" villain
Hint: Recall the jealous uncle who schemes against the royal family in Disney's savanna story. Four letters, starts with S.
2D. Jabbed with a finger
Hint: Use the past-tense verb for prodding a person with a fingertip. Five letters, starts with P.
3D. Banded gem
Hint: Look for a semiprecious variety of chalcedony known for its colored bands. Five letters, starts with A.
4D. Indianapolis Motor Speedway's nickname, with "the"
Hint: The speedway's famous nickname invokes the paving material historically associated with the track. Nine letters, starts with B.
5D. Play period at school
Hint: Think of the school-day break when children leave lessons and head out to play. Six letters, starts with R.
6D. Ritchson who plays Jack Reacher
Hint: Identify the actor who portrays the title character in the television adaptation of Lee Child's novels. Four letters, starts with A.
7D. Four-wheeler in a market
Hint: Picture the wheeled carrier shoppers push through supermarket aisles. Four letters, starts with C.
8D. Retina's place
Hint: Name the organ whose inner lining includes the retina. Three letters, starts with E.
14D. Compound with a chemical variant
Hint: The chemistry term describes a compound sharing a molecular formula with another compound but differing in atomic arrangement. Six letters, starts with I.
17D. ___ list
Hint: Complete the familiar list used to track unfinished tasks. Four letters, starts with T.
18D. Like all multiples of two
Hint: Classify the parity shared by 2, 4, 6, and every other multiple of two. Four letters, starts with E.
19D. "400" event on July 26, 2026 at the 4-Down, e.g.
Hint: Classify the Indianapolis 400 by its type of sporting competition. Four letters, starts with R.
20D. Mined metallic rock
Hint: Think of naturally occurring rock extracted because it contains valuable metal. Three letters, starts with O.
21D. Tampa Bay football player, informally
Hint: Use the singular informal nickname for a player on Tampa Bay's NFL team. Three letters, starts with B.
22D. Chicken ___ king
Hint: The missing connector completes the name of a classic creamy chicken dish associated with a king. Three letters, starts with A.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Hot stone massage locale
Answer: SPA
4A. "___ yourself!" ("Get ready for impact!")
Answer: BRACE
9A. Gear tooth
Answer: COG
10A. Event with teams of runners
Answer: RELAY
11A. Letters before an alias
Answer: AKA
12A. "Your problems matter to me"
Answer: ICARE
13A. Inclined to keep one's emotions close to the chest
Answer: RETICENT
15A. Cubicle fixtures
Answer: DESKS
16A. Pearl producer
Answer: OYSTER
20A. President who signed the Affordable Care Act into law
Answer: OBAMA
23A. Eggs at an I.V.F. lab
Answer: OVA
24A. Stick that might measure a foot
Answer: RULER
25A. Month in which Omisoka (Japanese New Year's Eve) is celebrated: Abbr.
Answer: DEC
26A. Birthday greeting in an inbox
Answer: ECARD
27A. Number that appears in "loneliest number," appropriately
Answer: ONE
Down Answers
1D. "The Lion King" villain
Answer: SCAR
2D. Jabbed with a finger
Answer: POKED
3D. Banded gem
Answer: AGATE
4D. Indianapolis Motor Speedway's nickname, with "the"
Answer: BRICKYARD
5D. Play period at school
Answer: RECESS
6D. Ritchson who plays Jack Reacher
Answer: ALAN
7D. Four-wheeler in a market
Answer: CART
8D. Retina's place
Answer: EYE
14D. Compound with a chemical variant
Answer: ISOMER
17D. ___ list
Answer: TODO
18D. Like all multiples of two
Answer: EVEN
19D. "400" event on July 26, 2026 at the 4-Down, e.g.
Answer: RACE
20D. Mined metallic rock
Answer: ORE
21D. Tampa Bay football player, informally
Answer: BUC
22D. Chicken ___ king
Answer: ALA
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: BRICKYARD at 4D defines today's puzzle because the Indianapolis Motor Speedway nickname fills the grid's longest lane and connects directly to the date-specific RACE at 19D.
Wordplay Winner: RULER at 24A wins the wordplay prize. The clue makes “foot” sound anatomical, then pivots to a unit that the measuring stick can mark.
Quick Fill: EVEN at 18D is the fastest confident fill because the mathematical definition is exact. Its crossings with OYSTER, OVA, DEC, and ONE lock the lower-right section into place.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank the direct definition clues first, especially EVEN, ORE, and EYE, then use those letters to attack the proper names and abbreviations.
Treat linked clues as a package. Solving BRICKYARD clarifies RACE immediately, while their crossings stabilize nearby entries such as OYSTER and RULER.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, pairing clean short entries with a few rewarding knowledge checks. BRICKYARD gave the puzzle its strongest sense of occasion.
See you at the next grid.
