Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and familiar references hide a missing-word trick, while conversational clues add a playful edge. Settle in and enjoy the hunt.
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: 30 (16 Across, 14 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 18D is the toughest turn because its directory reference seems to demand a fuller name than the grid accepts.
Gimme Clue: 7D is the clearest gimme, a familiar either-or question with a natural completion.
Theme Spotted: "Fall Color"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Loops in on an email, for short
Hint: Think of the abbreviated email action that adds a recipient to the copy list. Three letters, starts with C.
4A. Animal on Wyoming's state flag
Hint: Picture the shaggy, hump-backed grazer pictured on Wyoming's flag. Five letters, starts with B.
9A. First animal in the Chinese zodiac
Hint: Think of the small rodent that leads the zodiac cycle. Three letters, starts with R.
10A. Right when expected
Hint: Imagine an actor entering precisely at the appointed signal. Five letters, starts with O.
11A. "The loneliest number"
Hint: The quoted lyric points to the number associated with being alone. Three letters, starts with O.
12A. "___ up, Doc?"
Hint: Complete Bugs Bunny's familiar greeting to Doc. Five letters, starts with W.
13A. Office space item
Hint: Think of the desktop tool that fastens sheets together with metal clips. Seven letters, starts with S.
15A. ___ Liu, portrayer of one of the Kens in "Barbie"
Hint: Recall the actor credited as Liu who plays a Ken in "Barbie." Four letters, starts with S.
16A. Gather
Hint: Think of gathering a crop at harvest. Four letters, starts with R.
19A. 1938 novel adapted into a 1940 Hitchcock Academy Award winner
Hint: Think of Daphne du Maurier's Gothic novel centered on Manderley and a previous wife's lingering influence. Seven letters, starts with R.
21A. Common building material in a 14-Down
Hint: Think of sun-dried earth bricks used in Southwestern construction. Five letters, starts with A.
23A. Floor covering
Hint: Picture a movable textile covering beneath a coffee table. Three letters, starts with R.
24A. Instrument in a string quartet
Hint: Think of the bowed instrument pitched between the violin and cello. Five letters, starts with V.
25A. Mined rock
Hint: Think of rock valued for the metal it contains. Three letters, starts with O.
26A. Jouster's protection
Hint: Picture the protective metal suit worn by a mounted knight. Five letters, starts with A.
27A. Used to be
Hint: Put "is" into the past tense. Three letters, starts with W.
Down Hints
1D. Organization with millions of annual blood donors
Hint: Think of the humanitarian organization associated with blood drives and disaster relief. Five letters, starts with C.
2D. "Pretty, pretty please?"
Hint: Rephrase the plea as a hopeful question asking permission. Five letters, starts with C.
3D. Alternative to a sauna
Hint: Think of an enclosed spa space filled with moist heat. Nine letters, starts with S.
4D. Annual college football game played in Florida
Hint: Think of Florida's citrus-named postseason college football matchup. Four letters, starts with B.
5D. Vague reply to "Where are you?"
Hint: Imagine calling from inside a nearby room without identifying which room. Six letters, starts with I.
6D. Figure in a cornfield
Hint: Picture a human-shaped field decoy meant to discourage hungry birds. Nine letters, starts with S.
7D. "Are you in or ___?"
Hint: Complete the question with the alternative to participating. Three letters, starts with O.
8D. Super Mario Bros. platform, for short
Hint: Think of Nintendo's early home console, abbreviated. Three letters, starts with N.
14D. American Southwest community
Hint: Think of a traditional Indigenous settlement in the Southwest, linked to 21A's building material. Six letters, starts with P.
17D. Honda's luxury brand
Hint: Think of Honda's upscale automotive marque. Five letters, starts with A.
18D. Paper-turned-digital phone directory
Hint: Recall the business-listing directory that moved from a printed phone book to the web. Five letters, starts with P.
20D. Title animal of a 1967 children's book illustrated by Eric Carle
Hint: Recall the picture book whose repeated question asks its title creature what it sees. Four letters, starts with B.
21D. Director DuVernay
Hint: Think of DuVernay, the filmmaker behind "Selma." Three letters, starts with A.
22D. North, east, west or south: Abbr.
Hint: Use the abbreviated term for a compass heading. Three letters, starts with D.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Loops in on an email, for short
Answer: CCS
4A. Animal on Wyoming's state flag
Answer: BISON
9A. First animal in the Chinese zodiac
Answer: RAT
10A. Right when expected
Answer: ONCUE
11A. "The loneliest number"
Answer: ONE
12A. "___ up, Doc?"
Answer: WHATS
13A. Office space item
Answer: STAPLER
15A. ___ Liu, portrayer of one of the Kens in "Barbie"
Answer: SIMU
16A. Gather
Answer: REAP
19A. 1938 novel adapted into a 1940 Hitchcock Academy Award winner
Answer: REBECCA
21A. Common building material in a 14-Down
Answer: ADOBE
23A. Floor covering
Answer: RUG
24A. Instrument in a string quartet
Answer: VIOLA
25A. Mined rock
Answer: ORE
26A. Jouster's protection
Answer: ARMOR
27A. Used to be
Answer: WAS
Down Answers
1D. Organization with millions of annual blood donors
Answer: CROSS
2D. "Pretty, pretty please?"
Answer: CANTI
3D. Alternative to a sauna
Answer: STEAMROOM
4D. Annual college football game played in Florida
Answer: BOWL
5D. Vague reply to "Where are you?"
Answer: INHERE
6D. Figure in a cornfield
Answer: SCARECROW
7D. "Are you in or ___?"
Answer: OUT
8D. Super Mario Bros. platform, for short
Answer: NES
14D. American Southwest community
Answer: PUEBLO
17D. Honda's luxury brand
Answer: ACURA
18D. Paper-turned-digital phone directory
Answer: PAGES
20D. Title animal of a 1967 children's book illustrated by Eric Carle
Answer: BEAR
21D. Director DuVernay
Answer: AVA
22D. North, east, west or south: Abbr.
Answer: DIR
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 18D, "Paper-turned-digital phone directory," yields PAGES, with YELLOW left unstated. It captures the theme neatly, alongside RED CROSS, ORANGE BOWL and BROWN BEAR, whose grid entries also omit their color words.
Wordplay Winner: 2D turns "Pretty, pretty please?" into CAN'T I, entered as CANTI. The clue asks you to hear the pleading tone and supply an equivalent spoken question.
Quick Fill: 7D's OUT is the fastest confident fill because the either-or phrasing leaves little doubt. It supplies crossing letters for BISON, ON CUE and WHAT'S, giving the upper-right corner a useful foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a familiar name seems too long, test whether the theme removes a modifier. CROSS, BOWL, PAGES and BEAR all reward that check here.
Treat conversational clues as dialogue and mentally restore spaces and punctuation. Reading CANTI as CAN'T I and INHERE as IN HERE makes their clues click.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
This grid rewards recognition, then asks you to trim what you recognize. PAGES delivers the satisfying click that makes the missing-color trick feel fair.
See you at the next grid.
