Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans on brisk definitions, lively trivia, cross-references, and a visual wink. Settle in and enjoy the clean mix.
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: 10x9
Total Clues: 34 (16 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 25D is the trickiest clue because its question mark points beyond a standard definition and into the grid's layout.
Gimme Clue: 24A is the clearest gimme, since its familiar New Orleans nickname drops into a long slot with little ambiguity.
Theme Spotted: "Make a Beeline For It"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Make a beeline, say
Hint: For 1A, think of moving straight toward a destination with sudden speed. Four letters, starts with D.
5A. Wash vigorously
Hint: For 5A, use the verb for cleaning something by rubbing it hard. Five letters, starts with S.
10A. Skin care brand that dropped "Oil of" from its name
Hint: For 10A, picture the familiar skin-care label formerly prefaced by "Oil of." Four letters, starts with O.
11A. Boston daily newspaper
Hint: For 11A, think of the Boston newspaper whose masthead uses a word for a spherical model of Earth. Five letters, starts with G.
12A. Standard
Hint: For 12A, seek the usual or expected condition rather than something exceptional. Four letters, starts with N.
13A. Toothpaste containers
Hint: For 13A, picture the squeezable containers lined up beside a toothbrush. Five letters, starts with T.
14A. Injury from a 25-Down
Hint: For 14A, think of the painful injury delivered by the creature at 25D. Five letters, starts with S.
16A. Pigeon-loving character on "Sesame Street"
Hint: For 16A, recall Ernie's pigeon-loving roommate on "Sesame Street." Four letters, starts with B.
17A. Cries hysterically
Hint: For 17A, choose the verb for crying in broken, gasping bursts. Four letters, starts with S.
19A. "So cute!"
Hint: For 19A, write the soft exclamation prompted by something irresistibly cute. Three letters, starts with A.
22A. ___ and call
Hint: For 22A, complete the fixed expression meaning entirely available to serve someone. Four letters, starts with B.
24A. Nickname for New Orleans
Hint: For 24A, recall the New Orleans nickname that pairs grand scale with effortlessness. Ten letters, starts with T.
28A. Home for a 25-Down
Hint: For 28A, name the communal dwelling associated with the creature at 25D. Four letters, starts with H.
29A. Make a knot not?
Hint: For 29A, treat "not?" as a playful instruction to reverse the act of making a knot. Five letters, starts with U.
30A. One of two 10-point tiles in Scrabble
Hint: For 30A, think of the other 10-point Scrabble tile besides Q, then give its spoken name. Three letters, starts with Z.
31A. Necessities
Hint: For 31A, use a plural noun for things that are essential rather than optional. Five letters, starts with N.
Down Hints
1D. Puts on, as clothing
Hint: For 1D, think of the verb for putting a garment onto one's body. Four letters, starts with D.
2D. Many
Hint: For 2D, use the familiar two-word phrase meaning in great quantity. Four letters, starts with A.
3D. Garment commonly worn by Bangladeshi women
Hint: For 3D, picture the long, draped garment worn across South Asia. Four letters, starts with S.
4D. Devotional songs
Hint: For 4D, think of religious songs written for worship and congregational singing. Five letters, starts with H.
5D. "___ Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Hint: For 5D, the Beatles album title begins with an abbreviated military rank. Three letters, starts with S.
6D. Raver's nightlife environment
Hint: For 6D, name the broader nightlife world of dance venues, DJs, and their crowds. Nine letters, starts with C.
7D. Cozy post-shower attire
Hint: For 7D, picture the soft, belted garment pulled on after bathing. Four letters, starts with R.
8D. Lyft competitor
Hint: For 8D, name the ride-hailing company positioned as Lyft's direct rival. Four letters, starts with U.
9D. Awards show superlative
Hint: For 9D, think of the superlative awarded to the top nominee in a category. Four letters, starts with B.
15D. Desert whose temperatures can reach -40°F in the winter
Hint: For 15D, look to the vast desert spanning northern China and southern Mongolia, known for severe winter cold. Four letters, starts with G.
18D. Underway
Hint: For 18D, use the past participle indicating that something has started or is already underway. Five letters, starts with B.
19D. Airport code of Greece's capital
Hint: For 19D, use the aviation identifier for the Greek capital's main airport. Three letters, starts with A.
20D. "Gee ___!"
Hint: For 20D, complete the old-fashioned exclamation of amazement following "Gee." Four letters, starts with W.
21D. Contraction that sounds like a hair extension
Hint: For 21D, think of the contraction for "we have" that sounds like a term for added hair. Four letters, starts with W.
23D. "Kiss Me, ___" (Cole Porter musical)
Hint: For 23D, supply the woman's name completing Cole Porter's Shakespeare-inspired musical title. Four letters, starts with K.
25D. Animal moving diagonally in this puzzle?
Hint: For 25D, combine 14A and 28A: the same small creature causes one and lives in the other. Three letters, starts with B.
26D. ___ Vicious, punk rock icon
Hint: For 26D, think of the Sex Pistols bassist whose stage surname was Vicious. Three letters, starts with S.
27D. [Nods head]
Hint: For 27D, translate the head gesture into a one-word affirmative response. Three letters, starts with Y.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Make a beeline, say
Answer: DASH
5A. Wash vigorously
Answer: SCRUB
10A. Skin care brand that dropped "Oil of" from its name
Answer: OLAY
11A. Boston daily newspaper
Answer: GLOBE
12A. Standard
Answer: NORM
13A. Toothpaste containers
Answer: TUBES
14A. Injury from a 25-Down
Answer: STING
16A. Pigeon-loving character on "Sesame Street"
Answer: BERT
17A. Cries hysterically
Answer: SOBS
19A. "So cute!"
Answer: AWW
22A. ___ and call
Answer: BECK
24A. Nickname for New Orleans
Answer: THEBIGEASY
28A. Home for a 25-Down
Answer: HIVE
29A. Make a knot not?
Answer: UNTIE
30A. One of two 10-point tiles in Scrabble
Answer: ZEE
31A. Necessities
Answer: NEEDS
Down Answers
1D. Puts on, as clothing
Answer: DONS
2D. Many
Answer: ALOT
3D. Garment commonly worn by Bangladeshi women
Answer: SARI
4D. Devotional songs
Answer: HYMNS
5D. "___ Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Answer: SGT
6D. Raver's nightlife environment
Answer: CLUBSCENE
7D. Cozy post-shower attire
Answer: ROBE
8D. Lyft competitor
Answer: UBER
9D. Awards show superlative
Answer: BEST
15D. Desert whose temperatures can reach -40°F in the winter
Answer: GOBI
18D. Underway
Answer: BEGUN
19D. Airport code of Greece's capital
Answer: ATH
20D. "Gee ___!"
Answer: WHIZ
21D. Contraction that sounds like a hair extension
Answer: WEVE
23D. "Kiss Me, ___" (Cole Porter musical)
Answer: KATE
25D. Animal moving diagonally in this puzzle?
Answer: BEE
26D. ___ Vicious, punk rock icon
Answer: SID
27D. [Nods head]
Answer: YES
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 25D, "Animal moving diagonally in this puzzle?" = BEE, defines the grid's playful side. The letter B steps diagonally from the upper-right corner through four consecutive rows, turning a familiar creature into a visual instruction.
Wordplay Winner: 29A's "Make a knot not?" lands on UNTIE. The dangling "not?" reverses the expected knot-making action and produces a crisp command.
Quick Fill: THE BIG EASY at 24A was the fastest confident fill, since the New Orleans nickname is unmistakable and spans the full grid. It fixes one letter in every lower crossing, including ATH, BEE, KATE, and YES.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Prioritize long, specific entries before wrestling with short wordplay. THE BIG EASY and CLUB SCENE supply a dense web of crossing letters that makes the lower grid much easier to verify.
Treat cross-referenced clues as a package. Once BEE is established at 25D, STING at 14A and HIVE at 28A confirm each other immediately.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, balancing direct trivia with compact wordplay and strong crossings. BEE provides the memorable finish by making the grid itself part of the clue.
See you at the next grid.
