Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and it mixes crisp trivia with conversational clueing and a neat burst of wordplay. Settle in and enjoy the range.
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 (15 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 3D is the trickiest clue because “uprisings” points toward rebellion before the kitchen setting clicks.
Gimme Clue: 11A is the clearest gimme, since recognizing La Bohème's art form immediately narrows the target.
Theme Spotted: "Social Climber"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Leader of a monastery
Hint: Think of the religious title held by the monk who leads a monastery. Five letters, starts with A.
6A. Burgle
Hint: Use the blunt verb for stealing from a building. Three letters, starts with R.
9A. Sacred text read at a bar mitzvah
Hint: Name the central Jewish sacred scroll read during the ceremony. Five letters, starts with T.
10A. "Ruff! Pet me"
Hint: Render the dog's eager bark as a comic-strip sound. Three letters, starts with A.
11A. "La Bohème," for one
Hint: Classify Puccini's La Bohème by theatrical genre. Five letters, starts with O.
12A. Half-___ (coffee option)
Hint: Complete the familiar coffee order that balances regular brew with the no-buzz version. Three letters, starts with C.
13A. Org. founded by a classified presidential directive in 1952
Hint: Think of the U.S. intelligence organization created by a secret presidential directive in 1952. Three letters, starts with N.
14A. Texter's "gotta jet"
Hint: Use the chat abbreviation for saying you must leave now and will reconnect later. Four letters, starts with T.
16A. Jet (off)
Hint: A brisk verb meaning to hurry away. Four letters, starts with D.
18A. Bit of equipment for a super-G racer
Hint: Name the narrow racing implement attached under a super-G racer's boot. Nine letters, starts with A.
23A. South Florida N.B.A. team
Hint: Think of the N.B.A. franchise based in South Florida. Nine letters, starts with M.
24A. Suffix with north or south
Hint: Add the adjective-forming ending shared by north and south. Three letters, starts with E.
25A. Zealous religious groups
Hint: Think of intensely devoted religious sects with zealous followings. Five letters, starts with C.
26A. Crosses (out)
Hint: Use the spoken plural of the letter used to mark something for removal. Three letters, starts with X.
27A. "Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles & More" site
Hint: Identify the online marketplace behind the quoted shopping slogan. Four letters, starts with E.
Down Hints
1D. Loads and loads
Hint: The clue wants an idiom for an enormous amount. Four letters, starts with A.
2D. Knocks on the head
Hint: Use an informal verb for light blows delivered to the head. Four letters, starts with B.
3D. Where some uprisings occur?
Hint: Picture baking vessels, the places where dough rises. Nine letters, starts with B.
4D. Wall decor in a boathouse, perhaps
Hint: Picture a rowing implement mounted as decoration in a waterside storage building. Three letters, starts with O.
5D. "What a sweet gesture!"
Hint: The response is a polite phrase acknowledging a kind gesture. Nine letters, starts with T.
6D. Quite risqué
Hint: Look for an adjective meaning suggestive or mildly indecent. Four letters, starts with R.
7D. ___ health (dental concern)
Hint: Complete the standard phrase for care of the mouth and teeth. Four letters, starts with O.
8D. Closest bud, slangily
Hint: Use texting shorthand for a closest friend. Three letters, starts with B.
15D. Nickname for Boston
Hint: Recall Boston's nickname built around the idea of a central meeting point. Six letters, starts with T.
17D. Goal
Hint: Choose a synonym for an objective or target. Three letters, starts with A.
18D. Mastercard or Visa competitor, informally
Hint: Use the casual shortening of the card company that competes with Mastercard and Visa. Four letters, starts with A.
19D. Italian coins replaced by euros
Hint: Name the former Italian coinage replaced by the euro. Four letters, starts with L.
20D. Actress Ward of "Gone Girl"
Hint: Identify the actress named Ward from Gone Girl, then supply the name portion requested by the clue. Four letters, starts with S.
21D. Singer Perry with the 2010 #1 hit "Firework"
Hint: Think of the full name of the singer Perry behind “Firework,” then supply the part requested. Four letters, starts with K.
22D. "___ a Wonderful Life"
Hint: Complete the title of the Frank Capra holiday classic starring James Stewart. Three letters, starts with I.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Leader of a monastery
Answer: ABBOT
6A. Burgle
Answer: ROB
9A. Sacred text read at a bar mitzvah
Answer: TORAH
10A. "Ruff! Pet me"
Answer: ARF
11A. "La Bohème," for one
Answer: OPERA
12A. Half-___ (coffee option)
Answer: CAF
13A. Org. founded by a classified presidential directive in 1952
Answer: NSA
14A. Texter's "gotta jet"
Answer: TTYL
16A. Jet (off)
Answer: DASH
18A. Bit of equipment for a super-G racer
Answer: ALPINESKI
23A. South Florida N.B.A. team
Answer: MIAMIHEAT
24A. Suffix with north or south
Answer: ERN
25A. Zealous religious groups
Answer: CULTS
26A. Crosses (out)
Answer: XES
27A. "Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles & More" site
Answer: EBAY
Down Answers
1D. Loads and loads
Answer: ATON
2D. Knocks on the head
Answer: BOPS
3D. Where some uprisings occur?
Answer: BREADPANS
4D. Wall decor in a boathouse, perhaps
Answer: OAR
5D. "What a sweet gesture!"
Answer: THATSNICE
6D. Quite risqué
Answer: RACY
7D. ___ health (dental concern)
Answer: ORAL
8D. Closest bud, slangily
Answer: BFF
15D. Nickname for Boston
Answer: THEHUB
17D. Goal
Answer: AIM
18D. Mastercard or Visa competitor, informally
Answer: AMEX
19D. Italian coins replaced by euros
Answer: LIRE
20D. Actress Ward of "Gone Girl"
Answer: SELA
21D. Singer Perry with the 2010 #1 hit "Firework"
Answer: KATY
22D. "___ a Wonderful Life"
Answer: ITS
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 3D, “Where some uprisings occur?,” with BREADPANS defines the puzzle's playful side. Dough rises in bread pans, while the surface reading steers the mind toward rebellions.
Wordplay Winner: 24A wins with ERN. Attaching that suffix to north or south produces northern or southern, turning a tiny fill into a clean word-building clue.
Quick Fill: MIAMIHEAT at 23A was the fastest confident fill because the clue fixes both the region and the league. It anchors AMEX, LIRE, BREADPANS, AIM, THATSNICE, THEHUB, SELA, KATY, and ITS through the crossings.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Start with long, clue-specific entries such as MIAMIHEAT and ALPINESKI, then let their crossings settle compressed fill such as ERN, XES, and CAF.
When a question mark appears, test a literal physical reading before chasing an abstract one. BREADPANS opens as soon as “uprisings” becomes dough rising.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, pairing direct trivia with compact conversational fill. BREADPANS supplied the sharpest payoff.
See you at the next grid.
