Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and a run of brisk trivia and familiar phrases leads to a playful shaded-entry theme. Settle in and enjoy the crossings.
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 (16 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 23A asks for an answer meaning parallel while also pointing to the shaded entries, so the clue has more to do than its opening suggests.
Gimme Clue: 8A is a familiar food phrase with a direct missing word.
Theme Spotted: "A Little Something Extra"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. A good one may come to you in the shower
Hint: Think of a useful thought that arrives while the water is running. Four letters, starts with I.
5A. Sport in an octagon, in brief
Hint: Picture an octagon bout that mixes striking and grappling. Three letters, starts with M.
8A. Tater ___
Hint: Picture the small, crisp potato bites served as a side. Four letters, starts with T.
9A. French ___
Hint: Think of the thin potato side served with a burger. Five letters, starts with F.
11A. Cole ___
Hint: The missing word names a shredded cabbage side. Four letters, starts with S.
12A. Baked ___
Hint: Picture a sweet, saucy cookout side made from legumes. Five letters, starts with B.
13A. Twist the truth
Hint: What does someone do when a story strays from the truth? Three letters, starts with L.
14A. Tech giant led by Arvind Krishna
Hint: Think of the computing company long associated with mainframes. Three letters, starts with I.
15A. Drug also called acid
Hint: The clue wants the abbreviation for the hallucinogen nicknamed acid. Three letters, starts with L.
17A. Doesn't feel so hot
Hint: Find a verb for feeling unwell. Four letters, starts with A.
20A. Unnecessary item for solving a digital-only crossword
Hint: A screen-only grid has no need for this ink-writing tool. Three letters, starts with P.
22A. Industrial-sized container
Hint: Picture a huge open vessel used in a factory or brewery. Three letters, starts with V.
23A. Parallel ... or a description of the sets of shaded answers in this puzzle (in two ways!)
Hint: Use a phrase for parallel alignment, then consider the shaded entries. Ten letters, starts with S.
27A. Grandma's brother
Hint: Follow the family tree to your grandmother's male sibling. Ten letters, starts with G.
28A. Industrial-sized containers
Hint: Think of a different word for large industrial containers, in the plural. Five letters, starts with T.
29A. Unwelcome look
Hint: Picture a lingering, creepy look aimed at someone. Four letters, starts with L.
Down Hints
1D. The "I" of T.G.I.F.
Hint: Expand the familiar Friday acronym and focus on the quoted initial. Three letters, starts with I.
2D. Cabbage Patch Kid, e.g.
Hint: Think of the toy with yarn hair and an adoption certificate. Four letters, starts with D.
3D. Online commerce
Hint: Buying and selling through websites and apps is the business here. Five letters, starts with E.
4D. This very second
Hint: The phrase means right at this moment, while this conversation is happening. Nine letters, starts with A.
5D. Classic '80s cop show set in Florida
Hint: Recall the Florida crime drama starring Don Johnson. Nine letters, starts with M.
6D. All Supreme Court justices until 1981
Hint: Think about who occupied every seat on the high court before Sandra Day O'Connor joined. Three letters, starts with M.
7D. Animal that brays
Hint: This braying equine is also called a donkey. Three letters, starts with A.
9D. Org. featured on Netflix's "Mindhunter"
Hint: Name the federal investigative agency portrayed in the Netflix crime drama. Three letters, starts with F.
10D. Country music star McEntire
Hint: Think of the red-haired country singer who shares her name with a sitcom. Four letters, starts with R.
16D. Unpaid bills, essentially
Hint: What do unpaid bills become when money is owed? Five letters, starts with D.
18D. Soup scooper
Hint: Picture the deep-bowled utensil used to serve soup. Five letters, starts with L.
19D. Take the wheel
Hint: What does the driver do to direct a car? Five letters, starts with S.
21D. Big sch. in the Big Apple
Hint: Think of the major Manhattan university with a campus around Washington Square. Three letters, starts with N.
23D. Drill instructor's rank: Abbr.
Hint: The clue wants an abbreviated military rank associated with drill instructors. Three letters, starts with S.
24D. Lyricist Gershwin
Hint: Name the Gershwin sibling who wrote the lyrics to “I Got Rhythm.” Three letters, starts with I.
25D. TV room
Hint: Picture a cozy room for watching television. Three letters, starts with D.
26D. Big TV show filmed in the Big Apple, for short
Hint: Think of the long-running late-night sketch show broadcast from New York. 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. A good one may come to you in the shower
Answer: IDEA
5A. Sport in an octagon, in brief
Answer: MMA
8A. Tater ___
Answer: TOTS
9A. French ___
Answer: FRIES
11A. Cole ___
Answer: SLAW
12A. Baked ___
Answer: BEANS
13A. Twist the truth
Answer: LIE
14A. Tech giant led by Arvind Krishna
Answer: IBM
15A. Drug also called acid
Answer: LSD
17A. Doesn't feel so hot
Answer: AILS
20A. Unnecessary item for solving a digital-only crossword
Answer: PEN
22A. Industrial-sized container
Answer: VAT
23A. Parallel ... or a description of the sets of shaded answers in this puzzle (in two ways!)
Answer: SIDEBYSIDE
27A. Grandma's brother
Answer: GREATUNCLE
28A. Industrial-sized containers
Answer: TANKS
29A. Unwelcome look
Answer: LEER
Down Answers
1D. The "I" of T.G.I.F.
Answer: ITS
2D. Cabbage Patch Kid, e.g.
Answer: DOLL
3D. Online commerce
Answer: ETAIL
4D. This very second
Answer: ASWESPEAK
5D. Classic '80s cop show set in Florida
Answer: MIAMIVICE
6D. All Supreme Court justices until 1981
Answer: MEN
7D. Animal that brays
Answer: ASS
9D. Org. featured on Netflix's "Mindhunter"
Answer: FBI
10D. Country music star McEntire
Answer: REBA
16D. Unpaid bills, essentially
Answer: DEBTS
18D. Soup scooper
Answer: LADLE
19D. Take the wheel
Answer: STEER
21D. Big sch. in the Big Apple
Answer: NYU
23D. Drill instructor's rank: Abbr.
Answer: SGT
24D. Lyricist Gershwin
Answer: IRA
25D. TV room
Answer: DEN
26D. Big TV show filmed in the Big Apple, for short
Answer: SNL
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 23A, “Parallel ... or a description of the sets of shaded answers in this puzzle,” yields SIDEBYSIDE. The phrase means parallel and also describes the shaded answers' arrangement, giving the reveal its second job.
Wordplay Winner: 22A VAT and 28A TANKS make a neat paired turn: the clue repeats “Industrial-sized container,” changing only from singular to plural while the fill changes words.
Quick Fill: 8A TOTS is a quick confident fill from “Tater ___.” Its crossings feed ITS, DOLL, ETAIL and ASWESPEAK, giving the upper-left grid an immediate foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Take the direct food fills such as TOTS, FRIES, SLAW and BEANS early, then use their crossings to build the longer Down entries. When a clue points to shaded answers, save its theme interpretation until the straightforward crossings are in place.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid opens with friendly short fills, then lets SIDEBYSIDE give the shaded entries a satisfying second look.
See you at the next grid.
