Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and playful question-mark clues give familiar fill a mischievous twist. Come in and enjoy the wordplay.
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: 11x9
Total Clues: 38 (21 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 19A is the trickiest, because its hospital setting needs compressing before the question-mark logic clicks.
Gimme Clue: 11A is the welcoming gimme, with Earl Grey pointing directly to a familiar beverage.
Theme Spotted: "Wine Selections"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. And so forth: Abbr.
Hint: Look for the abbreviation that leaves a list open-ended. Three letters, starts with E.
4A. "Six-pack" muscles
Hint: Think of the midsection muscles targeted by crunches. Three letters, starts with A.
7A. Sandwich often held together with a toothpick, in brief
Hint: Think of a diner sandwich abbreviated by its signature ingredients. Three letters, starts with B.
10A. Neck wrap named after a snake
Hint: Picture a fluffy feather accessory draped around the neck. Three letters, starts with B.
11A. Earl Grey ___
Hint: Name the beverage brewed from Earl Grey leaves. Three letters, starts with T.
12A. Doctors' org.
Hint: Think of the national professional group representing physicians in the United States. Three letters, starts with A.
13A. "It's cold out here!"
Hint: Give the written sound of a shiver. Three letters, starts with B.
14A. Wine best enjoyed while moving on a runway?
Hint: Pair an aircraft's ground movement with a shortened wine name. Seven letters, starts with T.
16A. Sight-related
Hint: Think of an adjective associated with vision and the eye. Five letters, starts with O.
18A. Boxing match result, for short
Hint: Look for the abbreviated result when a referee stops the bout. Three letters, starts with T.
19A. Wine best enjoyed while touring an R.N.'s workplace?
Hint: Combine a hospital room's initials with a shortened wine name. Seven letters, starts with O.
21A. Also
Hint: Use a synonym for additionally. Three letters, starts with T.
22A. Secretly monitor
Hint: Think of covertly watching someone's activities. Five letters, starts with S.
24A. Wine best enjoyed while visiting Disney World?
Hint: Pair Disney's familiar personal name with a shortened wine name. Seven letters, starts with W.
26A. Petroleum, e.g.
Hint: Think of the crude liquid pumped from underground. Three letters, starts with O.
28A. Skating rink surface
Hint: Name the frozen surface beneath a skater's blades. Three letters, starts with I.
29A. Suffix with Gator or Power
Hint: Complete the sports-drink brand names suggested by the clue. Three letters, starts with A.
30A. Genetic messenger
Hint: Think of the molecule whose messenger form carries genetic instructions. Three letters, starts with R.
31A. Janus or Jupiter
Hint: Identify what these figures are in Roman mythology. Three letters, starts with G.
32A. Green morsel
Hint: Picture a small round vegetable nestled in a pod. Three letters, starts with P.
33A. Stitch up
Hint: Think of repairing a seam with a needle and thread. Three letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Recede, as a tide
Hint: Use the verb for tidal water drawing away from shore. Three letters, starts with E.
2D. Director Guillermo del ___
Hint: Think of the filmmaker behind Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water. Four letters, starts with T.
3D. Shared a ride
Hint: Think of commuters traveling together in the same vehicle. Nine letters, starts with C.
4D. Room beneath the roof
Hint: Picture the storage space above the upstairs ceiling. Five letters, starts with A.
5D. Next to a sandy shore, like some hotels
Hint: Describe a hotel's location directly beside the sand and surf. Nine letters, starts with B.
6D. Jazz band instrument, for short
Hint: Think of a curved, reed-bearing jazz horn, using its shortened name. Three letters, starts with S.
7D. Some patio entrances
Hint: Picture entrances connecting a home's rear rooms to its outdoor living area. Nine letters, starts with B.
8D. "so hilarious!!"
Hint: Use an emphatic texting abbreviation for laughter. Four letters, starts with L.
9D. Bar bill
Hint: Think of the running account a bartender keeps for your drinks. Three letters, starts with T.
15D. Modest reply to "Good work!"
Hint: Answer the compliment by acknowledging effort rather than claiming brilliance. Four letters, starts with I.
17D. Horse gait that's faster than a walk
Hint: Think of the gait between walking and cantering. Four letters, starts with T.
20D. Sleep ___ (breathing issue)
Hint: Name the condition involving interrupted breathing during sleep. Five letters, starts with A.
21D. Tex-Mex order
Hint: Picture a folded tortilla holding a savory filling. Four letters, starts with T.
23D. The numeral 6, when rotated 180 degrees
Hint: Visualize the printed numeral upside down, then spell the result. Four letters, starts with N.
24D. Hairpiece
Hint: Think of a removable covering that supplies replacement hair. Three letters, starts with W.
25D. Stick in the microwave
Hint: Use a punchy informal verb for heating food electronically. Three letters, starts with Z.
27D. What a judge interprets
Hint: Think of the rules a court applies to a case. Three letters, starts with L.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. And so forth: Abbr.
Answer: ETC
4A. "Six-pack" muscles
Answer: ABS
7A. Sandwich often held together with a toothpick, in brief
Answer: BLT
10A. Neck wrap named after a snake
Answer: BOA
11A. Earl Grey ___
Answer: TEA
12A. Doctors' org.
Answer: AMA
13A. "It's cold out here!"
Answer: BRR
14A. Wine best enjoyed while moving on a runway?
Answer: TAXICAB
16A. Sight-related
Answer: OPTIC
18A. Boxing match result, for short
Answer: TKO
19A. Wine best enjoyed while touring an R.N.'s workplace?
Answer: ORCHARD
21A. Also
Answer: TOO
22A. Secretly monitor
Answer: SPYON
24A. Wine best enjoyed while visiting Disney World?
Answer: WALTZIN
26A. Petroleum, e.g.
Answer: OIL
28A. Skating rink surface
Answer: ICE
29A. Suffix with Gator or Power
Answer: ADE
30A. Genetic messenger
Answer: RNA
31A. Janus or Jupiter
Answer: GOD
32A. Green morsel
Answer: PEA
33A. Stitch up
Answer: SEW
Down Answers
1D. Recede, as a tide
Answer: EBB
2D. Director Guillermo del ___
Answer: TORO
3D. Shared a ride
Answer: CARPOOLED
4D. Room beneath the roof
Answer: ATTIC
5D. Next to a sandy shore, like some hotels
Answer: BEACHSIDE
6D. Jazz band instrument, for short
Answer: SAX
7D. Some patio entrances
Answer: BACKDOORS
8D. "so hilarious!!"
Answer: LMAO
9D. Bar bill
Answer: TAB
15D. Modest reply to "Good work!"
Answer: ITRY
17D. Horse gait that's faster than a walk
Answer: TROT
20D. Sleep ___ (breathing issue)
Answer: APNEA
21D. Tex-Mex order
Answer: TACO
23D. The numeral 6, when rotated 180 degrees
Answer: NINE
24D. Hairpiece
Answer: WIG
25D. Stick in the microwave
Answer: ZAP
27D. What a judge interprets
Answer: LAW
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 24A, "Wine best enjoyed while visiting Disney World?", produces WALTZIN by joining WALT with ZIN, shorthand for Zinfandel. The seamless result also reads as WALTZ IN, making the theme's phrase assembly especially satisfying.
Wordplay Winner: 19A wins for misdirection with ORCHARD, built from OR, an operating room, and CHARD, shorthand for Chardonnay. The clue sends you into a hospital, then assembles a word associated with an entirely different setting.
Quick Fill: 11A's TEA is the fastest confident fill, with Earl Grey making the beverage unmistakable. Its crossings with ATTIC, BEACHSIDE and SAX give you immediate footholds in the upper middle.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Use the repeated clue wording as a decoding guide. Once TAXICAB separates into TAXI and CAB, test the same scenario-plus-wine construction on ORCHARD and WALTZIN.
Bank direct fills such as TEA and ICE before wrestling with the question marks. Use their crossing letters to narrow the longer entries, then return to the theme with firmer constraints.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The direct clues provide breathing room around the theme's compact constructions. WALTZIN delivers the neatest finish, turning a peculiar wine recommendation into a familiar phrase.
See you at the next grid.