Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and mixes literary trivia, crisp abbreviations, and a satisfying phonetic gimmick. Come on in and enjoy the clues before checking the reveal.
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: 9x9
Total Clues: 29 (14 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 5D is the trickiest clue because recalling the author behind a familiar television franchise requires precise name knowledge.
Gimme Clue: 10A is the clearest gimme, since its familiar web-address ending should arrive immediately.
Theme Spotted: A marked-square phonetic gimmick.
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Room that may be accessible via a pull-down ladder
Hint: For 1A, look above the top floor for a storage room reached by a folding ladder. Five letters, starts with A.
6A. Chem. or bio.
Hint: For 6A, use the shared school-subject abbreviation covering chemistry and biology. Three letters, starts with S.
9A. Jewish period of mourning
Hint: For 9A, focus on the formal Jewish mourning period observed after burial. Five letters, starts with S.
10A. URL ending
Hint: For 10A, think of the familiar commercial suffix used in web addresses. Three letters, starts with C.
11A. Domain for sailors ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's circled squares?
Hint: For 11A, recall the traditional collective phrase for the world's oceans, then say it aloud. Nine letters, starts with S.
13A. Opposite of paleo-
Hint: For 13A, supply the prefix meaning new, modern, or revived. Three letters, starts with N.
14A. Italian poet who wrote about the star-crossed lovers Paolo and Francesca
Hint: For 14A, identify the Italian author of the Divine Comedy. Five letters, starts with D.
15A. Least spicy
Hint: For 15A, choose the superlative describing what is most mild or least wild. Six letters, starts with T.
16A. California city west of Reno
Hint: For 16A, look north of Sacramento for the California city indicated. Five letters, starts with C.
18A. Disparaging term for someone with glasses ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's shaded squares?
Hint: For 18A, recall an old schoolyard insult aimed at someone wearing glasses, then listen closely to how the whole phrase sounds. Eight letters, starts with F.
21A. Unit of land
Hint: For 21A, use the standard area measure commonly applied to property and farmland. Four letters, starts with A.
22A. Direction opposite WSW
Hint: For 22A, reverse both compass components in WSW. Three letters, starts with E.
23A. ___ eagle
Hint: For 23A, complete the name of the white-headed American raptor. Four letters, starts with B.
24A. Medical professional, for short
Hint: For 24A, use the familiar informal abbreviation for a physician. Three letters, starts with D.
Down Hints
1D. The third "A" in AAA: Abbr.
Hint: For 1D, expand the final initial in American Automobile Association, then abbreviate that word. Four letters, starts with A.
2D. "Nearer, My God, to ___" (supposed last song played by the band on the Titanic)
Hint: For 2D, complete the hymn title with an archaic object pronoun. Four letters, starts with T.
3D. Big name in early DVRs
Hint: For 3D, think of the recorder brand known for letting viewers pause live television. Four letters, starts with T.
4D. "___ seen better days"
Hint: For 4D, complete the familiar complaint meaning that life has gone better before. Three letters, starts with I.
5D. "Sex and the City" author Bushnell
Hint: For 5D, identify the Bushnell whose writing inspired the television franchise named in the clue. Seven letters, starts with C.
6D. Part of an improv set
Hint: For 6D, picture one self-contained acted situation within an improv performance. Five letters, starts with S.
7D. Layers of paint
Hint: For 7D, think of separate applications placed on a surface during painting. Five letters, starts with C.
8D. "All ready here"
Hint: For 8D, use the compact phrase someone says after finishing preparations. Five letters, starts with I.
12D. Dog bred to herd reindeer and pull sleds
Hint: For 12D, picture the fluffy white northern working dog bred for herding and sled pulling. Seven letters, starts with S.
15D. In need of a nap
Hint: For 15D, choose the adjective for someone who badly needs sleep. Five letters, starts with T.
16D. ___-Cola
Hint: For 16D, complete the iconic hyphenated soda brand. Four letters, starts with C.
17D. Throw with force
Hint: For 17D, use a verb meaning to throw something with considerable force. Four letters, starts with H.
18D. "Absolutely gorge!"
Hint: For 18D, translate the clipped compliment “gorge” into another clipped adjective of approval. Three letters, starts with F.
19D. Ambient musician Brian
Hint: For 19D, think of the English musician associated with ambient music and Roxy Music. Three letters, starts with E.
20D. Brief bit of time
Hint: For 20D, use the standard abbreviation for a brief unit of time. Three letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Room that may be accessible via a pull-down ladder
Answer: ATTIC
6A. Chem. or bio.
Answer: SCI
9A. Jewish period of mourning
Answer: SHIVA
10A. URL ending
Answer: COM
11A. Domain for sailors ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's circled squares?
Answer: SEVENSEAS
13A. Opposite of paleo-
Answer: NEO
14A. Italian poet who wrote about the star-crossed lovers Paolo and Francesca
Answer: DANTE
15A. Least spicy
Answer: TAMEST
16A. California city west of Reno
Answer: CHICO
18A. Disparaging term for someone with glasses ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's shaded squares?
Answer: FOUREYES
21A. Unit of land
Answer: ACRE
22A. Direction opposite WSW
Answer: ENE
23A. ___ eagle
Answer: BALD
24A. Medical professional, for short
Answer: DOC
Down Answers
1D. The third "A" in AAA: Abbr.
Answer: ASSN
2D. "Nearer, My God, to ___" (supposed last song played by the band on the Titanic)
Answer: THEE
3D. Big name in early DVRs
Answer: TIVO
4D. "___ seen better days"
Answer: IVE
5D. "Sex and the City" author Bushnell
Answer: CANDACE
6D. Part of an improv set
Answer: SCENE
7D. Layers of paint
Answer: COATS
8D. "All ready here"
Answer: IMSET
12D. Dog bred to herd reindeer and pull sleds
Answer: SAMOYED
15D. In need of a nap
Answer: TIRED
16D. ___-Cola
Answer: COCA
17D. Throw with force
Answer: HURL
18D. "Absolutely gorge!"
Answer: FAB
19D. Ambient musician Brian
Answer: ENO
20D. Brief bit of time
Answer: SEC
The finished grid, row by row:
| A | T | T | I | C | ■ | S | C | I |
| S | H | I | V | A | ■ | C | O | M |
| S | E | V | E | N | S | E | A | S |
| N | E | O | ■ | D | A | N | T | E |
| ■ | ■ | ■ | T | A | M | E | S | T |
| ■ | C | H | I | C | O | ■ | ■ | ■ |
| F | O | U | R | E | Y | E | S | ■ |
| A | C | R | E | ■ | E | N | E | ■ |
| B | A | L | D | ■ | D | O | C | ■ |
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 11A, SEVEN SEAS, defines the puzzle because it answers the sailors' domain directly while sounding like “seven C's,” which explains the circled squares.
Wordplay Winner: 18A wins the wordplay prize with FOUR EYES, both the glasses-related insult and a phonetic instruction to find four I's in the shaded squares.
Quick Fill: 10A, COM, was the fastest confident fill because the universal URL ending locks directly into SCENE, COATS, and IMSET across the upper-right corner.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank conventional abbreviations such as SCI, COM, ENE, and DOC immediately, then use their crossing letters to check the longer proper nouns and phrases.
When a clue explicitly flags a phonetic hint, say the answer aloud. SEVEN SEAS and FOUR EYES reveal their marked-letter instructions through the sounds of C's and I's.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers generously with crisp short fill, then rewarded close listening through SEVEN SEAS and FOUR EYES. That double phonetic reveal gave the puzzle its personality.
See you at the next grid.
