Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and the grid mixes conversational clues and familiar trivia with a playful cross-reference twist. Settle in and give the linked clues a closer look.
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: 9x10
Total Clues: 32 (16 Across, 16 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 14D is the trickiest clue because its baseball setup also asks you to inspect the linked Across phrases.
Gimme Clue: 25A is the clearest gimme, with a direct definition of the implement used to propel a rowing boat.
Theme Spotted: "Switch Positions"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. "Oh, my turn to bat!"
Hint: 1A: Imagine a batter realizing they're next at the plate and announcing it. Four letters, starts with I.
5A. Severely hurt
Hint: 5A: Think of wounding someone badly enough to cause lasting bodily damage. Four letters, starts with M.
9A. Phrase similar to "All sales are final"
Hint: 9A: Look for a store policy that prevents buyers from bringing purchases back. Nine letters, starts with N.
11A. A helluva good time
Hint: 11A: Reach for an enthusiastic phrase describing abundant enjoyment. Nine letters, starts with T.
12A. Airport bag checkers, for short
Hint: 12A: Use the initials of the agency responsible for airport security screening. Three letters, starts with T.
13A. Georgia politician who was the first U.S. senator born in the 1980s
Hint: 13A: The clue wants the Georgia senator's full name, tied to the birth-decade milestone. Nine letters, starts with J.
19A. Deep-dish pizza chain, informally
Hint: 19A: Use the casual possessive name of the deep-dish pizza restaurant chain. Four letters, starts with U.
20A. Annoyingly fussy
Hint: 20A: Look for a blunt, informal adjective for excessive fussiness about details. Four letters, starts with A.
21A. Flat-topped hills
Hint: 21A: Picture elevated landforms with broad, level summits. Five letters, starts with M.
23A. ___Boost (Ford engine designed to improve fuel economy)
Hint: 23A: The missing prefix suggests environmental friendliness in Ford's engine branding. Three letters, starts with E.
24A. Many an annoying internet ad
Hint: 24A: Picture an advertisement that opens over the page you're browsing. Five letters, starts with P.
25A. Rowing tool
Hint: 25A: Picture the long implement a rower pulls through the water. Three letters, starts with O.
26A. "Sweet!"
Hint: 26A: Read the exclamation as approval rather than a description of flavor. Four letters, starts with N.
27A. Big Pharma overseer, in brief
Hint: 27A: Use the initials of the federal agency that regulates drugs. Three letters, starts with F.
28A. ___ Age music
Hint: 28A: Complete the genre label associated with relaxing, atmospheric music. Three letters, starts with N.
29A. A.T.M. withdrawal add-on
Hint: 29A: Think of the extra charge attached to withdrawing cash. Three letters, starts with F.
Down Hints
1D. QB's error: Abbr.
Hint: 1D: Use the statistical abbreviation for a quarterback's pass caught by the opposing team. Three letters, starts with I.
2D. Onomatopoeia on some milk cartons
Hint: 2D: Imagine the cow sound printed beside a dairy illustration. Three letters, starts with M.
3D. Ornate vessel
Hint: 3D: Picture a decorative vase with a sculpted body. Three letters, starts with U.
4D. Basil-based pasta topper
Hint: 4D: Name the full basil-based condiment spooned over pasta. Ten letters, starts with P.
5D. Simba's dad in "The Lion King"
Hint: 5D: Recall the royal lion who is Simba's father. Six letters, starts with M.
6D. Dog's yap
Hint: 6D: Think of a short, sharp bark written as a sound. Three letters, starts with A.
7D. Shiba ___ (Japanese dog breed)
Hint: 7D: Complete the Japanese breed name after Shiba. Three letters, starts with I.
8D. Yahoo! alternative
Hint: 8D: Think of Microsoft's web portal as an alternative to Yahoo! Three letters, starts with M.
10D. Throw, as a cornhole bag
Hint: 10D: Picture the gentle throwing motion used to send a beanbag toward the target. Four letters, starts with T.
13D. Word before "scare," "ship" or "shot"
Hint: 13D: Test the same short word before each quoted term to form familiar expressions. Four letters, starts with J.
14D. Result of walking a leadoff batter ... as seen in 11- and 13-Across?
Hint: 14D: The walk leaves a runner at first base; use the linked Across clues for the phrase play. Five letters, starts with O.
15D. Lack of bias
Hint: 15D: Look for a phrase promising facts without a slanted presentation. Six letters, starts with N.
16D. Unrepeated event ... as seen in 11- and 13-Across?
Hint: 16D: Think of an event that happens once, with the linked Across clues supplying the extra layer. Six letters, starts with O.
17D. False front
Hint: 17D: Think of an outward appearance that conceals what lies behind it. Six letters, starts with F.
18D. Counterpart of faunae
Hint: 18D: Match the animal-life term with its plant-life equivalent, keeping the parallel plural form. Six letters, starts with F.
22D. Gush forth
Hint: 22D: Think of expelling something forcefully in a rush. Four letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. "Oh, my turn to bat!"
Answer: IMUP
5A. Severely hurt
Answer: MAIM
9A. Phrase similar to "All sales are final"
Answer: NORETURNS
11A. A helluva good time
Answer: TONSOFFUN
12A. Airport bag checkers, for short
Answer: TSA
13A. Georgia politician who was the first U.S. senator born in the 1980s
Answer: JONOSSOFF
19A. Deep-dish pizza chain, informally
Answer: UNOS
20A. Annoyingly fussy
Answer: ANAL
21A. Flat-topped hills
Answer: MESAS
23A. ___Boost (Ford engine designed to improve fuel economy)
Answer: ECO
24A. Many an annoying internet ad
Answer: POPUP
25A. Rowing tool
Answer: OAR
26A. "Sweet!"
Answer: NICE
27A. Big Pharma overseer, in brief
Answer: FDA
28A. ___ Age music
Answer: NEW
29A. A.T.M. withdrawal add-on
Answer: FEE
Down Answers
1D. QB's error: Abbr.
Answer: INT
2D. Onomatopoeia on some milk cartons
Answer: MOO
3D. Ornate vessel
Answer: URN
4D. Basil-based pasta topper
Answer: PESTOSAUCE
5D. Simba's dad in "The Lion King"
Answer: MUFASA
6D. Dog's yap
Answer: ARF
7D. Shiba ___ (Japanese dog breed)
Answer: INU
8D. Yahoo! alternative
Answer: MSN
10D. Throw, as a cornhole bag
Answer: TOSS
13D. Word before "scare," "ship" or "shot"
Answer: JUMP
14D. Result of walking a leadoff batter ... as seen in 11- and 13-Across?
Answer: ONEON
15D. Lack of bias
Answer: NOSPIN
16D. Unrepeated event ... as seen in 11- and 13-Across?
Answer: ONEOFF
17D. False front
Answer: FACADE
18D. Counterpart of faunae
Answer: FLORAE
22D. Gush forth
Answer: SPEW
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 14D, "Result of walking a leadoff batter ... as seen in 11- and 13-Across?", earns its ONE ON answer twice. It describes the baserunner situation and points to the single occurrence of ON in each of TONS OF FUN and JON OSSOFF.
Wordplay Winner: 16D wins with ONE OFF, answering "Unrepeated event" while also describing the single OFF embedded in both TONS OF FUN and JON OSSOFF. The cross-reference makes an everyday phrase double as an instruction to inspect the lettering.
Quick Fill: 25A, OAR for "Rowing tool," is the fastest confident fill because the definition is direct. Its crossings with ONE OFF, FACADE and FLORAE give you a useful foothold in the lower-right corner.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Use a clear long definition early: PESTO SAUCE runs from the top row to the bottom and supplies letters to every Across entry it meets. A confident long fill can do more work than a string of isolated short guesses.
When a clue points to other entries, check their lettering as well as their meanings. Here, finding ON and OFF inside TONS OF FUN and JON OSSOFF unlocks the extra readings of ONE ON and ONE OFF.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The direct definitions give this grid a welcoming foothold, while ONE ON and ONE OFF reward a closer look at answers already filled. That small shift from meaning to lettering gives the finish its satisfying click.
See you at the next grid.
