Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and brings a lively mix of compact wordplay, cultural trivia, and a shaded-line payoff. Settle in and enjoy the ride.
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: 18A is the trickiest clue because the Norwegian celebration is specialized knowledge, while the second half asks you to interpret the shaded lines.
Gimme Clue: 24A is the clearest gimme, drawing on a familiar wishing-fountain custom.
Theme Spotted: "Hello, Sailor!"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Avoided an infielder's tag, maybe
Hint: Picture the base runner's low move beneath an infielder's attempted tag. Four letters, starts with S.
5A. Teacher's evaluation
Hint: Name an assessment a teacher might administer to measure learning. Four letters, starts with T.
9A. Become fatigued
Hint: Use a verb for losing energy after sustained effort. Four letters, starts with T.
10A. Important time periods
Hint: Think of historically significant spans of time. Four letters, starts with E.
11A. ___ Erikson, noted 11th-century explorer
Hint: Identify the explorer paired with Erikson, known for reaching North America around the 11th century. Four letters, starts with L.
12A. ___ the Red, noted 10th-century explorer
Hint: Identify the Norse explorer known by a color nickname and associated with Greenland. Four letters, starts with E.
13A. Function
Hint: Read “Function” as a noun meaning practical purpose. Three letters, starts with U.
14A. Nonverbal "yes"
Hint: Picture the small head motion that signals agreement. Three letters, starts with N.
15A. ___ the Horrible, comics character with a horned helmet
Hint: Recall the horned-helmet star of a long-running comic strip. Five letters, starts with H.
17A. Altoids holder
Hint: Think of the small metal container associated with these strong mints. Three letters, starts with T.
18A. Popular Norwegian soccer celebration in which fans pretend to operate longships ... or a description of each shaded line in this puzzle?
Hint: Visualize Norwegian soccer supporters moving together like a longship crew, then compare that gesture with the shaded lines. Nine letters, starts with V.
24A. Something thrown into a fountain when making a wish
Hint: Think of the customary object tossed into a wishing fountain. Four letters, starts with C.
25A. One of six that make up a hexagon
Hint: A hexagon's boundary is divided into six straight segments. The target is one such segment. Four letters, starts with S.
26A. Step on a ladder
Hint: Focus on the horizontal foothold between a ladder's rails. Four letters, starts with R.
27A. What ballet dancers can balance on
Hint: Picture the body points supporting a ballet dancer en pointe. Four letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. "Gateway to the West" city: Abbr.
Hint: Look to Missouri and the city marked by the Gateway Arch, then use its standard abbreviation. Three letters, starts with S.
2D. "In ___ of gifts ..."
Hint: Complete the formal donation phrase meaning “instead of gifts.” Four letters, starts with L.
3D. From Kilkenny or Kildare
Hint: Both counties lie on the island west of Great Britain, so supply the matching nationality adjective. Five letters, starts with I.
4D. Vanquishing
Hint: Look for a present participle describing the act of beating an opponent. Nine letters, starts with D.
5D. Cause of adolescent rebellion, perhaps
Hint: Think of the emotional turbulence associated with adolescence and rebellion. Nine letters, starts with T.
6D. 404 Not Found, e.g.
Hint: What broad kind of computing problem does a 404 Not Found message represent? Five letters, starts with E.
7D. Uttered
Hint: Supply a past-tense speech verb meaning “uttered.” Four letters, starts with S.
8D. Reprimanding sound
Hint: Imagine a brief click of the tongue showing disapproval. Three letters, starts with T.
16D. ___ and tonic
Hint: The blank names the clear spirit commonly paired with tonic water. Three letters, starts with G.
18D. Pre-streaming device, in brief
Hint: Think of the abbreviated machine that recorded and played videocassettes before streaming. Three letters, starts with V.
19D. "Gonna pay ya back later" note
Hint: Name the informal written acknowledgment of a debt that promises later repayment. Three letters, starts with I.
20D. Fam, formerly
Hint: Translate the modern slang “fam” into an older term for relatives. Three letters, starts with K.
21D. ___ de Janeiro
Hint: Complete the familiar two-part name of the Brazilian city. Three letters, starts with R.
22D. Poem of lofty praise
Hint: Think of a formal lyric poem written in elevated praise. Three letters, starts with O.
23D. Director Anderson
Hint: Think of the filmmaker behind “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Moonrise Kingdom.” Three letters, starts with W.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Avoided an infielder's tag, maybe
Answer: SLID
5A. Teacher's evaluation
Answer: TEST
9A. Become fatigued
Answer: TIRE
10A. Important time periods
Answer: ERAS
11A. ___ Erikson, noted 11th-century explorer
Answer: LEIF
12A. ___ the Red, noted 10th-century explorer
Answer: ERIK
13A. Function
Answer: USE
14A. Nonverbal "yes"
Answer: NOD
15A. ___ the Horrible, comics character with a horned helmet
Answer: HAGAR
17A. Altoids holder
Answer: TIN
18A. Popular Norwegian soccer celebration in which fans pretend to operate longships ... or a description of each shaded line in this puzzle?
Answer: VIKINGROW
24A. Something thrown into a fountain when making a wish
Answer: COIN
25A. One of six that make up a hexagon
Answer: SIDE
26A. Step on a ladder
Answer: RUNG
27A. What ballet dancers can balance on
Answer: TOES
Down Answers
1D. "Gateway to the West" city: Abbr.
Answer: STL
2D. "In ___ of gifts ..."
Answer: LIEU
3D. From Kilkenny or Kildare
Answer: IRISH
4D. Vanquishing
Answer: DEFEATING
5D. Cause of adolescent rebellion, perhaps
Answer: TEENANGST
6D. 404 Not Found, e.g.
Answer: ERROR
7D. Uttered
Answer: SAID
8D. Reprimanding sound
Answer: TSK
16D. ___ and tonic
Answer: GIN
18D. Pre-streaming device, in brief
Answer: VCR
19D. "Gonna pay ya back later" note
Answer: IOU
20D. Fam, formerly
Answer: KIN
21D. ___ de Janeiro
Answer: RIO
22D. Poem of lofty praise
Answer: ODE
23D. Director Anderson
Answer: WES
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 18A, VIKING ROW, defines a Norwegian soccer celebration while also describing each shaded line as a row of Viking-related material. That double duty makes it the grid's defining clue.
Wordplay Winner: 20D wins the compact wordplay prize with KIN. “Fam” supplies the modern slang, while “formerly” points back to the older term for relatives.
Quick Fill: COIN at 24A is the fastest confident fill because the wishing-fountain image is immediate. Its crossings reinforce VCR, IOU, KIN, and DEFEATING across the lower-left section.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a grid offers long vertical entries such as DEFEATING and TEEN ANGST, solve the short Across clues first and let their crossings expose the phrase structure.
For an unfamiliar revealer such as VIKING ROW, trust the crossings and then reread the clue's visual instruction. The filled phrase becomes much clearer once the shaded lines and longship motion are considered together.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, balancing direct short fill with two demanding vertical phrases and a memorable VIKING ROW finish.
See you at the next grid.
