Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and a sly split reading and a dash of trivia give the grid its spark. Pull up a chair 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: 9x9
Total Clues: 28 (15 Across, 13 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 17A is the trickiest clue because its familiar-sounding skill has a second reading that connects it to other entries.
Gimme Clue: 23A is the gimme: the college web address suffix is a familiar bit of internet shorthand.
Theme Spotted: "Craft From the Past"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Possible treatment for a sore shoulder
Hint: Think of a cold compress applied after a strain. Three letters, starts with I.
4A. Scattered, as seeds
Hint: Picture a gardener casting seeds across soil. Five letters, starts with S.
9A. Tues- company?
Hint: Complete the clipped calendar label. Three letters, starts with D.
10A. Assortment of treasure
Hint: Think of a cache of valuables. Five letters, starts with T.
11A. Mined rock
Hint: Dig below ground for rock rich in usable metal. Three letters, starts with O.
12A. Buenos ___, Argentina
Hint: Think of Argentina's capital city, then supply the missing part of its name. Five letters, starts with A.
13A. Pinpointed, as on a map
Hint: Think of finding an exact point on a map. Seven letters, starts with L.
15A. Cough soother
Hint: Think of a small medicated sweet that calms a cough. Seven letters, starts with L.
17A. Skill no longer widely used ... or, when parsed differently, a hint to 13-, 15- and 17-Across?
Hint: Read the clue as an old-fashioned skill, then look again at how the phrase divides. Seven letters, starts with L.
19A. Indigenous people of New Zealand
Hint: Name the Indigenous people native to Aotearoa New Zealand. Five letters, starts with M.
21A. Animal sound from a children's book with buttons, perhaps
Hint: Press the farm-animal button for a bovine call. Three letters, starts with M.
22A. Rowed, as a rowboat
Hint: Picture propelling a boat by pulling on its long-handled blades. Five letters, starts with O.
23A. College web address suffix
Hint: Think of the suffix used by university websites. Three letters, starts with E.
24A. No longer in style
Hint: Think of a fashion that has fallen out of favor. Five letters, starts with P.
25A. Bump, ___, spike (volleyball sequence)
Hint: What comes between the first pass and the attack at the net? Three letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Object of adoration
Hint: Think of a figure fans admire intensely. Four letters, starts with I.
2D. Song sung around Christmas
Hint: Think of a festive song sung at Christmas. Five letters, starts with C.
3D. Info on driver's licenses
Hint: Look for a physical trait listed alongside height on a driver's license. Nine letters, starts with E.
4D. In America's lower 48
Hint: Think of being in the contiguous United States. Nine letters, starts with S.
5D. Get situated
Hint: Find your bearings in unfamiliar surroundings. Six letters, starts with O.
6D. Scrabble, Crossplay, etc.
Hint: What broad kind of pastime includes Scrabble and Crossplay? Nine letters, starts with W.
7D. Fruit eater in Eden
Hint: Recall the woman in the Genesis garden. Three letters, starts with E.
8D. ___ Moines, Iowa
Hint: Supply the missing part of the Iowa capital's full name. Three letters, starts with D.
14D. Volcanic island chain west of mainland Portugal
Hint: Think of the Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic, west of the mainland. Six letters, starts with A.
16D. Cause to shrink, as confidence
Hint: Think of confidence gradually wearing thin. Five letters, starts with E.
18D. Hype up
Hint: Think of promoting something with extra enthusiasm. Four letters, starts with T.
19D. ___ the floor with (defeat convincingly)
Hint: Complete the expression about soundly beating an opponent. Three letters, starts with M.
20D. Designation for the Rochester Red Wings and Worcester Red Sox
Hint: Think of the top Minor League Baseball tier shared by both clubs. Three letters, starts with A.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Possible treatment for a sore shoulder
Answer: ICE
4A. Scattered, as seeds
Answer: SOWED
9A. Tues- company?
Answer: DAY
10A. Assortment of treasure
Answer: TROVE
11A. Mined rock
Answer: ORE
12A. Buenos ___, Argentina
Answer: AIRES
13A. Pinpointed, as on a map
Answer: LOCATED
15A. Cough soother
Answer: LOZENGE
17A. Skill no longer widely used ... or, when parsed differently, a hint to 13-, 15- and 17-Across?
Answer: LOSTART
19A. Indigenous people of New Zealand
Answer: MAORI
21A. Animal sound from a children's book with buttons, perhaps
Answer: MOO
22A. Rowed, as a rowboat
Answer: OARED
23A. College web address suffix
Answer: EDU
24A. No longer in style
Answer: PASSE
25A. Bump, ___, spike (volleyball sequence)
Answer: SET
Down Answers
1D. Object of adoration
Answer: IDOL
2D. Song sung around Christmas
Answer: CAROL
3D. Info on driver's licenses
Answer: EYECOLORS
4D. In America's lower 48
Answer: STATESIDE
5D. Get situated
Answer: ORIENT
6D. Scrabble, Crossplay, etc.
Answer: WORDGAMES
7D. Fruit eater in Eden
Answer: EVE
8D. ___ Moines, Iowa
Answer: DES
14D. Volcanic island chain west of mainland Portugal
Answer: AZORES
16D. Cause to shrink, as confidence
Answer: ERODE
18D. Hype up
Answer: TOUT
19D. ___ the floor with (defeat convincingly)
Answer: MOP
20D. Designation for the Rochester Red Wings and Worcester Red Sox
Answer: AAA
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 17A, “Skill no longer widely used,” gives LOST ART. Read the same letters as LO START, and they point to the LO opening of LOCATED at 13A, LOZENGE at 15A, and LOST ART itself.
Wordplay Winner: 9A, “Tues- company?,” answers DAY. The hyphen invites you to complete Tuesday, turning “company” into the piece that joins “Tues-.”
Quick Fill: 25A SET follows bump and precedes spike in the volleyball sequence. Its letters cross 6D WORDGAMES, 16D ERODE, and 18D TOUT, giving the lower right corner a firm anchor.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Fill direct clues such as 23A EDU and 25A SET first, then use their crossings to tackle the longer downs.
When a clue points to other entries, revisit it after those entries are filled. Here, LOCATED and LOZENGE make the second reading of LOST ART easier to spot.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid offers plenty of direct footholds, then lets LOST ART deliver a satisfying final click.
See you at the next grid.
