Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and it blends brisk trivia, playful definitions, and a multilingual twist into a lively grid. Settle in and enjoy the shifts in register.
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: 44 (23 Across, 21 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 13A is the trickiest clue, because its Stockholm wording points toward a literal translation while the entry asks solvers to recognize a candy name.
Gimme Clue: 38A is the clearest gimme, since its clue directly describes a bear's offspring.
Theme Spotted: "Lost in Translation"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Music genre for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Hint: 1A: Think of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones' brass-heavy, offbeat-driven genre. Three letters, starts with S.
4A. "The Good Wife" channel
Hint: 4A: Name the broadcast network that aired The Good Wife. Three letters, starts with C.
7A. Includes on an email thread
Hint: 7A: Use the email-thread action that adds secondary recipients. Three letters, starts with C.
10A. Prepare to throw a dart
Hint: 10A: Line up the dart with its intended target prior to release. Three letters, starts with A.
11A. "Could you repeat that?"
Hint: 11A: Use the puzzled interjection requesting a repetition. Three letters, starts with H.
12A. Pretend to be a kangaroo, say
Hint: 12A: Mimic a kangaroo's bouncing movement. Three letters, starts with H.
13A. In Stockholm: "fisk"
Hint: 13A: Translate the Stockholm word, then think of the chewy red candy shaped like the translated creature. 11 letters, starts with S.
16A. Spot of some congestion
Hint: 16A: Name the facial cavity that feels blocked during congestion. Five letters, starts with S.
17A. Pinnacle
Hint: 17A: Think of a pinnacle as the absolute peak. Four letters, starts with A.
18A. World Cup official
Hint: 18A: Name the match official who applies the rules on a soccer pitch. Three letters, starts with R.
20A. Hum like an electric fan
Hint: 20A: Listen to an electric fan's soft spinning sound. Four letters, starts with W.
21A. In Rome: "ghiaccio"
Hint: 21A: Combine the national adjective signaled by Rome with a scoopable frozen treat. Ten letters, starts with I.
24A. Condescending sort
Hint: 24A: Picture a condescending person who regards others as inferior. Four letters, starts with S.
25A. Cleanup hitter's stat
Hint: 25A: Use the baseball abbreviation that credits a batter when a run scores. Three letters, starts with R.
26A. "___ only take a minute"
Hint: 26A: Supply the opening contraction in the reassurance about a brief task. Four letters, starts with I.
27A. Roadblocks
Hint: 27A: Think of obstacles or unexpected hitches. Five letters, starts with S.
31A. In Athens: "Γιαούρτι"
Hint: 31A: Combine the national adjective suggested by Athens with the thick, strained dairy food named in the quoted script. 11 letters, starts with G.
34A. In a foul mood
Hint: 34A: Think irritated, angry, or in a foul temper. Three letters, starts with M.
35A. "What Was I Made ___?" (Billie Eilish song from "Barbie")
Hint: 35A: Complete Billie Eilish's Barbie song title with its small connecting word. Three letters, starts with F.
36A. Oolong or darjeeling
Hint: 36A: Both named varieties come from steeped Camellia sinensis leaves. Three letters, starts with T.
37A. Emmy winner Edebiri
Hint: 37A: Think of the Emmy-winning actor and comedian from The Bear. Three letters, starts with A.
38A. Baby bear
Hint: 38A: Name a bear in its earliest stage of life. Three letters, starts with C.
39A. Hold the deed to
Hint: 39A: Use the verb meaning to possess the property named in a deed. Three letters, starts with O.
Down Hints
1D. Back talk
Hint: 1D: Think of a cheeky, disrespectful reply. Four letters, starts with S.
2D. Egg-shaped (and egg-sized) fruit
Hint: 2D: Picture the fuzzy, egg-shaped fruit with green flesh and black seeds. Four letters, starts with K.
3D. "You said it!"
Hint: 3D: Use the emphatic expression of agreement also heard at a prayer's close. Four letters, starts with A.
4D. Ice sculptor's tool
Hint: 4D: Name the metal-edged carving tool used to shape ice. Six letters, starts with C.
5D. Forrest Gump waits for one in "Forrest Gump"
Hint: 5D: Recall the public vehicle at the roadside stop in the film's framing scene. Three letters, starts with B.
6D. "Keep your voice down!"
Hint: 6D: Use the hushed interjection that asks someone to lower their voice. Three letters, starts with S.
7D. Ostentatiously fancy
Hint: 7D: Think of decor that is showily upscale and overdone. Six letters, starts with C.
8D. Incomprehensibly vast
Hint: 8D: Reach beyond earthly scale to something tied to the universe. Six letters, starts with C.
9D. Basketball or baseball, but not football
Hint: 9D: Unlike a football, either named ball is round in every direction. Six letters, starts with S.
14D. Long-lasting
Hint: 14D: Think built to endure wear over a long span. Seven letters, starts with D.
15D. Excessively flattering, with "over"
Hint: 15D: With "over," this describes excessive praise directed at someone. Seven letters, starts with F.
19D. Relative of a spruce
Hint: 19D: Name the evergreen conifer closely related to a spruce. Three letters, starts with F.
21D. Spot for documents that need attention
Hint: 21D: Picture the office receptacle holding documents that still need attention. Six letters, starts with I.
22D. "Holy ___!"
Hint: 22D: Use the Ohio city that completes this mild exclamation. Six letters, starts with T.
23D. Soak up
Hint: 23D: Think of what a sponge does to spilled liquid. Six letters, starts with A.
24D. Letter between rho and tau
Hint: 24D: Look at the Greek letter positioned between rho and tau. Five letters, starts with S.
28D. Prefix with -tune or -correct
Hint: 28D: Use the shared prefix attached to tune and correct. Four letters, starts with A.
29D. Got bigger
Hint: 29D: Supply a past-tense verb meaning became larger. Four letters, starts with G.
30D. ___ Wawrinka, winner of three Grand Slam tournament titles
Hint: 30D: Identify the Swiss tennis champion Wawrinka with three Grand Slam tournament titles. Four letters, starts with S.
32D. "Finger lickin' good" chain
Hint: 32D: Think of Colonel Sanders' fried-chicken chain and its famous slogan. Three letters, starts with K.
33D. "Who are ___ to judge?"
Hint: 33D: Supply the pronoun addressing the person being challenged to judge. Three letters, starts with Y.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Music genre for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Answer: SKA
4A. "The Good Wife" channel
Answer: CBS
7A. Includes on an email thread
Answer: CCS
10A. Prepare to throw a dart
Answer: AIM
11A. "Could you repeat that?"
Answer: HUH
12A. Pretend to be a kangaroo, say
Answer: HOP
13A. In Stockholm: "fisk"
Answer: SWEDISHFISH
16A. Spot of some congestion
Answer: SINUS
17A. Pinnacle
Answer: ACME
18A. World Cup official
Answer: REF
20A. Hum like an electric fan
Answer: WHIR
21A. In Rome: "ghiaccio"
Answer: ITALIANICE
24A. Condescending sort
Answer: SNOB
25A. Cleanup hitter's stat
Answer: RBI
26A. "___ only take a minute"
Answer: ITLL
27A. Roadblocks
Answer: SNAGS
31A. In Athens: "Γιαούρτι"
Answer: GREEKYOGURT
34A. In a foul mood
Answer: MAD
35A. "What Was I Made ___?" (Billie Eilish song from "Barbie")
Answer: FOR
36A. Oolong or darjeeling
Answer: TEA
37A. Emmy winner Edebiri
Answer: AYO
38A. Baby bear
Answer: CUB
39A. Hold the deed to
Answer: OWN
Down Answers
1D. Back talk
Answer: SASS
2D. Egg-shaped (and egg-sized) fruit
Answer: KIWI
3D. "You said it!"
Answer: AMEN
4D. Ice sculptor's tool
Answer: CHISEL
5D. Forrest Gump waits for one in "Forrest Gump"
Answer: BUS
6D. "Keep your voice down!"
Answer: SHH
7D. Ostentatiously fancy
Answer: CHICHI
8D. Incomprehensibly vast
Answer: COSMIC
9D. Basketball or baseball, but not football
Answer: SPHERE
14D. Long-lasting
Answer: DURABLE
15D. Excessively flattering, with "over"
Answer: FAWNING
19D. Relative of a spruce
Answer: FIR
21D. Spot for documents that need attention
Answer: INTRAY
22D. "Holy ___!"
Answer: TOLEDO
23D. Soak up
Answer: ABSORB
24D. Letter between rho and tau
Answer: SIGMA
28D. Prefix with -tune or -correct
Answer: AUTO
29D. Got bigger
Answer: GREW
30D. ___ Wawrinka, winner of three Grand Slam tournament titles
Answer: STAN
32D. "Finger lickin' good" chain
Answer: KFC
33D. "Who are ___ to judge?"
Answer: YOU
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 13A, "In Stockholm: 'fisk'," lands on SWEDISH FISH, the entry that defines the grid. The clue turns a literal local-language noun into an English candy name by pairing the translated noun with the nationality signaled by Stockholm.
Wordplay Winner: 21A is the wordplay winner: "In Rome: 'ghiaccio'" yields ITALIAN ICE. Rome supplies ITALIAN while the quoted word supplies ICE, converting a translation prompt into a frozen-dessert phrase.
Quick Fill: 38A, CUB, was the fastest confident fill because "Baby bear" is direct and specific. Its letters lock in KFC, YOU, and ABSORB at the crossings, stabilizing the lower center.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a long clue gives a city plus a foreign word, test a phrase built from the country adjective signaled by that city and the translated noun. That method opens SWEDISH FISH, ITALIAN ICE, and GREEK YOGURT without requiring every crossing.
Use crisp short fills to audit the long answers. CBS, HUH, BUS, and SHH pin down the upper crossings, while CUB and its KFC, YOU, and ABSORB crossings secure the lower grid.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid played fair while rewarding a second look at its location clues. SWEDISH FISH brought the brightest snap, and the matching ITALIAN ICE and GREEK YOGURT reveals gave the solve a satisfying finish.
See you at the next grid.
