Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans on crisp trivia, conversational phrases, and a satisfying visual payoff. Settle in for a lively grid with plenty of clean entry points.
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: 31 (16 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 22A is the trickiest clue because it asks you to connect circled letters, a 1959 film, and the filmmaker behind it.
Gimme Clue: 1D is the clearest gimme, since the familiar three-part cereal slogan supplies the missing sound immediately.
Theme Spotted: "Master of Suspense"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Lust and envy, for two
Hint: Think of the moral offenses represented by lust and envy. Four letters, starts with S.
5A. Disney villain who says "I was first in line, until the little hairball was born"
Hint: Think of the resentful royal uncle in The Lion King who believes the newborn cub displaced him. Four letters, starts with S.
9A. ___ Gallagher, lead guitarist of Oasis
Hint: Identify the Oasis guitarist who is the older Gallagher brother. Four letters, starts with N.
10A. "This can't be good!"
Hint: Supply the compact exclamation someone makes when trouble becomes obvious. Four letters, starts with O.
11A. Just a stone's throw ___
Hint: Complete the familiar expression for something located very nearby. Four letters, starts with A.
12A. Some fishing gear
Hint: Picture the mesh equipment fishers cast or set in the water. Four letters, starts with N.
13A. Removed the skin of, as a fruit
Hint: Think of what a knife did after taking the outer skin off a piece of fruit. Five letters, starts with P.
15A. Miniature
Hint: Look for a playful synonym meaning extremely small. Three letters, starts with W.
16A. What a picture might be displayed in
Hint: Name the structure that surrounds and displays a photograph. Five letters, starts with F.
18A. Tax filing expert, for short
Hint: Think of the credentialed accounting professional commonly hired to prepare taxes, then use the standard abbreviation. Three letters, starts with C.
20A. One-named Nigerian singer with the 1985 hit "Smooth Operator"
Hint: Identify the one-named vocalist behind the song cited in the clue. Four letters, starts with S.
22A. Legendary British director of the 1959 film hinted at by the circled letters
Hint: Use the circled letters to identify the 1959 film, then enter the legendary British filmmaker who directed it. Nine letters, starts with H.
25A. "What a shame"
Hint: Supply a compact, slightly old-fashioned lament expressing regret or disappointment. Four letters, starts with A.
26A. Currency in Cologne but not Copenhagen
Hint: Compare the national currencies used in Germany and Denmark, then choose the one used in the German city. Four letters, starts with E.
27A. Ham operator?
Hint: Read “operator” as the person or business handling sliced ham behind a food counter. Four letters, starts with D.
28A. Good-looking fella
Hint: Use a slang noun for a notably handsome man. Four letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. "___, crackle, pop"
Hint: Recall the three-part cereal slogan and supply its first sound. Four letters, starts with S.
2D. State that's got 99 counties, and Mitchell is one
Hint: Locate Mitchell County among the American states, using the stated total of 99 counties as confirmation. Four letters, starts with I.
3D. Dire, as injuries
Hint: Think of injuries that came perilously close to causing death. Nine letters, starts with N.
4D. More crafty
Hint: Use the comparative form of an adjective meaning more cunning or crafty. Five letters, starts with S.
5D. Child with "Jr." after his name, maybe
Hint: The suffix “Jr.” often marks a male child named after his father. Three letters, starts with S.
6D. Berated
Hint: Think of a two-word past-tense phrase for being scolded harshly. Nine letters, starts with C.
7D. Buy-in at the start of a poker hand
Hint: Name the compulsory stake placed before a poker hand begins. Four letters, starts with A.
8D. ___-colored glasses
Hint: Picture the optimistic eyewear idiom that describes an unrealistically positive outlook. Four letters, starts with R.
14D. Sprinkle, as of seasoning
Hint: Think of a small, quick addition of seasoning rather than a heavy coating. Four letters, starts with D.
17D. Spiked clubs used in medieval times
Hint: Picture medieval bludgeons fitted with heavy, spiked heads. Five letters, starts with M.
18D. African country NE of Cameroon
Hint: Look for the landlocked African country immediately east and northeast of Cameroon. Four letters, starts with C.
19D. Heap
Hint: Use a simple noun for a collection of things heaped together. Four letters, starts with P.
21D. Light brown hue with a French name
Hint: Think of an unbleached-linen shade whose color name came through French. Four letters, starts with E.
23D. CBS show that helped popularize forensic science
Hint: Recall the long-running CBS crime drama centered on forensic investigators. Three letters, starts with C.
24D. Defeated in a boxing match, for short
Hint: Use the abbreviated past-tense boxing result for a fighter defeated by knockout. Three letters, starts with K.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Lust and envy, for two
Answer: SINS
5A. Disney villain who says "I was first in line, until the little hairball was born"
Answer: SCAR
9A. ___ Gallagher, lead guitarist of Oasis
Answer: NOEL
10A. "This can't be good!"
Answer: OHNO
11A. Just a stone's throw ___
Answer: AWAY
12A. Some fishing gear
Answer: NETS
13A. Removed the skin of, as a fruit
Answer: PARED
15A. Miniature
Answer: WEE
16A. What a picture might be displayed in
Answer: FRAME
18A. Tax filing expert, for short
Answer: CPA
20A. One-named Nigerian singer with the 1985 hit "Smooth Operator"
Answer: SADE
22A. Legendary British director of the 1959 film hinted at by the circled letters
Answer: HITCHCOCK
25A. "What a shame"
Answer: ALAS
26A. Currency in Cologne but not Copenhagen
Answer: EURO
27A. Ham operator?
Answer: DELI
28A. Good-looking fella
Answer: STUD
Down Answers
1D. "___, crackle, pop"
Answer: SNAP
2D. State that's got 99 counties, and Mitchell is one
Answer: IOWA
3D. Dire, as injuries
Answer: NEARFATAL
4D. More crafty
Answer: SLYER
5D. Child with "Jr." after his name, maybe
Answer: SON
6D. Berated
Answer: CHEWEDOUT
7D. Buy-in at the start of a poker hand
Answer: ANTE
8D. ___-colored glasses
Answer: ROSE
14D. Sprinkle, as of seasoning
Answer: DASH
17D. Spiked clubs used in medieval times
Answer: MACES
18D. African country NE of Cameroon
Answer: CHAD
19D. Heap
Answer: PILE
21D. Light brown hue with a French name
Answer: ECRU
23D. CBS show that helped popularize forensic science
Answer: CSI
24D. Defeated in a boxing match, for short
Answer: KOD
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 22A, “Legendary British director of the 1959 film hinted at by the circled letters,” lands on HITCHCOCK. It defines the puzzle because the circled-letter discovery identifies the film while the clue makes solvers take one final step to its director.
Wordplay Winner: 27A wins the wordplay prize with DELI for “Ham operator?” The clue disguises ham as radio jargon, then redirects it to the counter that handles the sliced meat.
Quick Fill: SNAP at 1D is the fastest confident fill because the cereal slogan is fixed, and it immediately anchors SINS, NOEL, AWAY, and PARED through four crossings.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank fixed phrases first. SNAP, AWAY, OHNO, and ALAS turn familiar wording into quick crossing letters before the proper-name trivia demands attention.
For the long entries, build from short crossings instead of forcing the clue cold. NEARFATAL and CHEWEDOUT each span the grid, so several compact Across answers can confirm their phrasing piece by piece.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid treated solvers fairly, offering generous phrase fills before asking for the cinematic leap to HITCHCOCK. The playful DELI clue added a sharp final wink.
See you at the next grid.
