Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and film trivia meets playful definitions and a clever observation about names. Pull up a chair and give the clues a fresh look.
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: 12A is the trickiest, because the celebrity names invite a trivia search when their spelling deserves the attention.
Gimme Clue: 5D is the cleanest gimme, thanks to the familiar pairing in its clue.
Theme Spotted: "Late-Stage Capitalism"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Cheeky
Hint: 1A: Think impudent, with a playful edge. Five letters, starts with S.
6A. Popular women's health app whose name sounds like a sheet of ice
Hint: 6A: Think of a menstrual-cycle tracker whose name echoes a floating sheet of ice. Three letters, starts with F.
9A. Fantasy world
Hint: 9A: Picture an imagined society where everything is ideal. Six letters, starts with U.
11A. Eye shadow spot
Hint: 11A: Think of the skin a makeup brush sweeps above the lashes. Three letters, starts with L.
12A. The surname of Daryl Hannah or Jeremy Renner, e.g.
Hint: 12A: Read the surnames backward and look for a spelling property. Ten letters, starts with P.
14A. "___ Brockovich" (2000 Julia Roberts film)
Hint: 14A: Recall the full title of the Julia Roberts film named for its central character. Four letters, starts with E.
15A. Crosses one's fingers
Hint: 15A: Focus on the wish behind the gesture. Five letters, starts with H.
16A. Clear (of)
Hint: 16A: The verb means to free a place of an unwanted presence. Three letters, starts with R.
17A. "This stinks!"
Hint: 17A: Hear a spectator's shout of disapproval. Three letters, starts with B.
18A. 1985 sequel with an iconic training montage
Hint: 18A: Think boxing franchise, with a Roman numeral attached to the title. Seven letters, starts with R.
22A. City-related
Hint: 22A: Choose the adjective for metropolitan life. Five letters, starts with U.
25A. Teeny-tiny bit
Hint: 25A: Think of a Greek letter used to mean a trace. Four letters, starts with I.
26A. Leader of the Jabari Tribe in "Black Panther"
Hint: 26A: Recall the name of the Jabari tribe's leader in the Marvel film. Five letters, starts with M.
27A. So-called "windows to the soul"
Hint: 27A: The metaphor points to the organs of sight. Four letters, starts with E.
28A. Yearns (for)
Hint: 28A: Think longs wistfully for an absent loved person. Five letters, starts with P.
29A. Not all
Hint: 29A: Choose a word for an unspecified portion of the whole. Four letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. "Awesome!"
Hint: 1D: Hear an enthusiastic response to good news. Five letters, starts with S.
2D. Classic Nintendo rival
Hint: 2D: Think of the video game company behind Pong. Five letters, starts with A.
3D. Not striped, as a pool ball
Hint: 3D: Picture a billiard ball with an unbroken field of color. Five letters, starts with S.
4D. ___ class (cycling workout)
Hint: 4D: Think of an indoor workout on stationary bicycles. Four letters, starts with S.
5D. Yang's partner
Hint: 5D: Complete the familiar philosophical pairing with yang. Three letters, starts with Y.
6D. Total failure
Hint: 6D: Think of a production that fails badly. Four letters, starts with F.
7D. Pad Thai garnish
Hint: 7D: Picture a tart citrus wedge squeezed over the noodles. Four letters, starts with L.
8D. Poems of praise
Hint: 8D: These verses celebrate their subjects. Four letters, starts with O.
10D. Like some committees
Hint: 10D: Think of a committee formed for a particular purpose rather than a permanent role. Five letters, starts with A.
13D. Newbies
Hint: 13D: Think of newcomers in their debut season. Seven letters, starts with R.
17D. Extra benefit
Hint: 17D: Think of a welcome perk beyond what was promised. Five letters, starts with B.
18D. Tool for a Zen garden
Hint: 18D: Picture a toothed tool dragged through sand to create patterns. Four letters, starts with R.
19D. Toy that has its ups and downs?
Hint: 19D: Take the motion literally and picture a toy on a string. Four letters, starts with Y.
20D. Bullet point on an agenda
Hint: 20D: Think of an individual matter scheduled for discussion. Four letters, starts with I.
21D. Bouquet holder
Hint: 21D: Picture a decorative vessel holding cut stems in water. Four letters, starts with V.
22D. Caller of balls and strikes
Hint: 22D: Think of the official behind home plate, using the shortened job name. Three letters, starts with U.
23D. Sports stat informally called a "ribbie"
Hint: 23D: Think of the baseball abbreviation that credits a batter for bringing a runner home. Three letters, starts with R.
24D. Outlaw
Hint: 24D: Read the clue as a verb meaning prohibit. Three letters, starts with B.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Cheeky
Answer: SASSY
6A. Popular women's health app whose name sounds like a sheet of ice
Answer: FLO
9A. Fantasy world
Answer: UTOPIA
11A. Eye shadow spot
Answer: LID
12A. The surname of Daryl Hannah or Jeremy Renner, e.g.
Answer: PALINDROME
14A. "___ Brockovich" (2000 Julia Roberts film)
Answer: ERIN
15A. Crosses one's fingers
Answer: HOPES
16A. Clear (of)
Answer: RID
17A. "This stinks!"
Answer: BOO
18A. 1985 sequel with an iconic training montage
Answer: ROCKYIV
22A. City-related
Answer: URBAN
25A. Teeny-tiny bit
Answer: IOTA
26A. Leader of the Jabari Tribe in "Black Panther"
Answer: MBAKU
27A. So-called "windows to the soul"
Answer: EYES
28A. Yearns (for)
Answer: PINES
29A. Not all
Answer: SOME
Down Answers
1D. "Awesome!"
Answer: SUPER
2D. Classic Nintendo rival
Answer: ATARI
3D. Not striped, as a pool ball
Answer: SOLID
4D. ___ class (cycling workout)
Answer: SPIN
5D. Yang's partner
Answer: YIN
6D. Total failure
Answer: FLOP
7D. Pad Thai garnish
Answer: LIME
8D. Poems of praise
Answer: ODES
10D. Like some committees
Answer: ADHOC
13D. Newbies
Answer: ROOKIES
17D. Extra benefit
Answer: BONUS
18D. Tool for a Zen garden
Answer: RAKE
19D. Toy that has its ups and downs?
Answer: YOYO
20D. Bullet point on an agenda
Answer: ITEM
21D. Bouquet holder
Answer: VASE
22D. Caller of balls and strikes
Answer: UMP
23D. Sports stat informally called a "ribbie"
Answer: RBI
24D. Outlaw
Answer: BAN
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 12A, "The surname of Daryl Hannah or Jeremy Renner, e.g.," earns PALINDROME by asking what the surnames demonstrate. Hannah and Renner each read identically backward, turning celebrity trivia into a precise spelling observation.
Wordplay Winner: 19D, "Toy that has its ups and downs?," gets the wordplay nod with YOYO. The familiar phrase about changing fortunes becomes a literal description of the toy's movement.
Quick Fill: 5D's YIN is the fastest confident fill because yang supplies such a direct prompt. Its crossings give you the final letter of SASSY, plus interior letters in UTOPIA and PALINDROME.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a clue supplies examples followed by "e.g.," test what they share before reaching for another name. PALINDROME rewards that habit by describing the spelling of Hannah and Renner.
For a sequel such as ROCKYIV, let the crossings confirm the numeral instead of trusting a hazy title memory. YOYO, ITEM and VASE check the ending here.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The direct definitions give this puzzle a welcoming rhythm, while PALINDROME supplies the satisfying pause. That shift from recalling names to examining them is today's best reward.
See you at the next grid.
