Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and a keyboard-inspired gimmick adds a playful twist to film, stage magic and everyday expressions. Come on in and enjoy the mix of direct clues and lateral thinking.
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 (14 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 15A is the trickiest clue because the familiar description of a magician calls for an unusual shortened form.
Gimme Clue: 21D is the clearest gimme; its dinosaur phrase points directly to a familiar completion.
Theme Spotted: "Answer Keys"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Undergarment supporter
Hint: Think of a garment that supports the chest. Three letters, starts with B.
4A. "Same for me!"
Hint: Picture agreeing that someone else's statement also applies to you. Five letters, starts with A.
9A. Fashion designer Claiborne
Hint: Think of the designer associated with a namesake women's clothing label. Three letters, starts with L.
10A. Christopher who directed "The Odyssey"
Hint: Think of the filmmaker behind Inception. Five letters, starts with N.
11A. Post-credits scene, perhaps
Hint: Think of a different conclusion to a film, using a shortened form. Nine letters, starts with A.
13A. Consider (to be)
Hint: Use a verb meaning to judge something to have a particular quality. Four letters, starts with D.
14A. Dating profile blurb
Hint: Think of the short personal description beneath someone's profile photos. Three letters, starts with B.
15A. Magician in a straitjacket and handcuffs, maybe
Hint: Think of a performer skilled at getting free of restraints, with an unexpected abbreviation. Nine letters, starts with E.
18A. Letters written by a debtor
Hint: The writing acknowledges a debt rather than making a payment. Three letters, starts with I.
19A. Person who needs to always be in charge
Hint: Think of a familiar expression for someone who insists on directing everything, with a shortened opening. Nine letters, starts with C.
25A. Q: What's more dangerous than being with a fool? A: Fooling with a ___!
Hint: The punch line needs an insect that can sting. Three letters, starts with B.
26A. Thin and graceful
Hint: Look for an adjective suggesting a supple body and elegant movement. Five letters, starts with L.
27A. Bill Clinton's instrument
Hint: Think of a jazz woodwind played with a reed, using its shortened name. Three letters, starts with S.
28A. Indian restaurant basketful
Hint: Look for a soft flatbread served alongside curry. Four letters, starts with N.
Down Hints
1D. Piece of grass
Hint: Picture an individual narrow leaf rather than a patch of lawn. Five letters, starts with B.
2D. Agitates, with "up"
Hint: Think of provoking someone into an irritated state. Five letters, starts with R.
3D. Ancient resident of Tenochtitlán
Hint: Think of the civilization whose capital stood where Mexico City now stands. Five letters, starts with A.
4D. Novelist Patchett
Hint: Recall the novelist behind Bel Canto. Three letters, starts with A.
5D. Landscaper's supply
Hint: Think of ready-grown turf laid down to establish a lawn. Three letters, starts with S.
6D. Suspect's story
Hint: The suspect's account places them elsewhere when the crime occurred. Five letters, starts with A.
7D. Nail salon treatments, casually
Hint: Use casual shorthand for appointments that groom and polish fingernails. Five letters, starts with M.
8D. Gold block at Fort Knox
Hint: Think of gold cast into a solid block for storage. Five letters, starts with I.
12D. Alternative to a Slack message
Hint: Think of a digital message delivered to an inbox outside the chat app. Five letters, starts with E.
16D. "o.m.g. i'm dead."
Hint: Read the quoted reaction as intense laughter expressed in internet shorthand. Four letters, starts with R.
17D. Shroud of ___ (venerated cloth)
Hint: The cloth's familiar name points to a city in northern Italy. Five letters, starts with T.
19D. "Survivor" network
Hint: Think of the American broadcast network with an eye logo. Three letters, starts with C.
20D. Beverage that may accompany jam and bread
Hint: Picture a hot drink brewed from leaves and served with an afternoon snack. Three letters, starts with T.
21D. Tyrannosaurus ___
Hint: Complete the dinosaur's familiar scientific name with the Latin word for king. Three letters, starts with R.
22D. Airport flight posting, for short
Hint: The abbreviation tells passengers when an incoming flight is expected. Three letters, starts with E.
23D. Light bulb moment exclamation
Hint: Imagine the exclamation that bursts out when something suddenly makes sense. Three letters, starts with A.
24D. Comedian Jeong
Hint: Think of the comic actor who plays Mr. Chow in The Hangover. 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. Undergarment supporter
Answer: BRA
4A. "Same for me!"
Answer: ASAMI
9A. Fashion designer Claiborne
Answer: LIZ
10A. Christopher who directed "The Odyssey"
Answer: NOLAN
11A. Post-credits scene, perhaps
Answer: ALTENDING
13A. Consider (to be)
Answer: DEEM
14A. Dating profile blurb
Answer: BIO
15A. Magician in a straitjacket and handcuffs, maybe
Answer: ESCARTIST
18A. Letters written by a debtor
Answer: IOU
19A. Person who needs to always be in charge
Answer: CTRLFREAK
25A. Q: What's more dangerous than being with a fool? A: Fooling with a ___!
Answer: BEE
26A. Thin and graceful
Answer: LITHE
27A. Bill Clinton's instrument
Answer: SAX
28A. Indian restaurant basketful
Answer: NAAN
Down Answers
1D. Piece of grass
Answer: BLADE
2D. Agitates, with "up"
Answer: RILES
3D. Ancient resident of Tenochtitlán
Answer: AZTEC
4D. Novelist Patchett
Answer: ANN
5D. Landscaper's supply
Answer: SOD
6D. Suspect's story
Answer: ALIBI
7D. Nail salon treatments, casually
Answer: MANIS
8D. Gold block at Fort Knox
Answer: INGOT
12D. Alternative to a Slack message
Answer: EMAIL
16D. "o.m.g. i'm dead."
Answer: ROFL
17D. Shroud of ___ (venerated cloth)
Answer: TURIN
19D. "Survivor" network
Answer: CBS
20D. Beverage that may accompany jam and bread
Answer: TEA
21D. Tyrannosaurus ___
Answer: REX
22D. Airport flight posting, for short
Answer: ETA
23D. Light bulb moment exclamation
Answer: AHA
24D. Comedian Jeong
Answer: KEN
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 15A's magician in restraints becomes ESCARTIST, compressing the escape in escape artist into the keyboard abbreviation ESC. That unexpected spelling makes the keyboard gimmick unmistakable.
Wordplay Winner: 19A wins with CTRLFREAK, replacing control in control freak with the key label CTRL. The clue describes a personality, while the fill quietly redirects you to a keyboard.
Quick Fill: 21D's REX is the fastest confident fill, completing Tyrannosaurus without a spelling twist. It supplies crossing letters for 19A CTRLFREAK, 25A BEE and 27A SAX, giving the lower-left corner a useful foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a familiar phrase will not fit, check whether the puzzle shortens a word. ALTENDING, ESCARTIST and CTRLFREAK all use keyboard labels, so spotting the pattern in one helps you crack the other two.
Use direct fills such as REX and CBS to establish crossings before tackling the altered phrases. Read register cues closely too: "casually" points toward MANIS, while "for short" signals ETA.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The direct clues offer footholds, while ESCARTIST asks you to loosen your expectations about familiar phrases. Spotting the keyboard pattern turns those odd spellings into the grid's best reward.
See you at the next grid.
