Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans into crisp trivia, conversational wordplay, and a circled-letter road gimmick. Settle in for a lively grid with several satisfying footholds.
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: 35 (17 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 16A is the trickiest clue because its social-media shorthand needs an awkward-looking past-tense form.
Gimme Clue: 15D is the clearest gimme, with the green Jedi and matching lightsaber pointing to a unique film character.
Theme Spotted: "So Many Ways to Go"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. ___ Beta Kappa
Hint: Complete the name of the collegiate honor society that ends with Beta Kappa. Three letters, starts with P.
4A. Two of them make a U-turn
Hint: Picture the repeated turn that reverses a driver's direction. Five letters, starts with L.
9A. Org. focused on the 50+ crowd
Hint: Identify the advocacy organization serving adults in the stated age bracket. Four letters, starts with A.
11A. "Sk8er Boi" singer Lavigne
Hint: Think of the Canadian singer behind “Sk8er Boi,” as named in the clue. Five letters, starts with A.
12A. "Mind. Blown."
Hint: Use the brief reaction someone blurts when astonishment hits. Four letters, starts with W.
13A. New Zealand native
Hint: Think of the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. Five letters, starts with M.
14A. Like the interior of a car after a beach trip, often
Hint: Picture the gritty condition of a vehicle cabin after a beach outing. Five letters, starts with S.
16A. Contacted on social media, for short
Hint: Use the clipped past-tense verb for sending someone a private social-media message. Four letters, starts with D.
17A. Where all roads lead, in a classic saying suggested by this puzzle's circled letters
Hint: Complete the old saying about roads converging on an ancient capital, then inspect the circled cells. Four letters, starts with R.
19A. Formal wedding attire
Hint: Name the classic black-tie garment worn at a formal wedding. Six letters, starts with T.
22A. Moo ___ pork
Hint: Recall the middle word in the familiar Chinese pork dish that begins with “moo.” Three letters, starts with S.
25A. Shape of a marble
Hint: Think of a perfectly round solid rather than a flat circle. Three letters, starts with O.
26A. Largest arteries in human bodies
Hint: Name the body's largest arteries, using the plural. Six letters, starts with A.
28A. Id's counterpart
Hint: In Freud's structural model, supply the counterpart paired with the id. Three letters, starts with E.
29A. Path from point A to point B
Hint: Think of the course connecting a starting point and a destination. Five letters, starts with R.
30A. "An emotion in motion," per Mae West
Hint: Recall the noun Mae West called “an emotion in motion.” Three letters, starts with S.
31A. Flowed back, as the tide
Hint: Use the past-tense verb for a tide receding. Five letters, starts with E.
Down Hints
1D. Fido's feet
Hint: Name the padded feet of the dog in the clue. Four letters, starts with P.
2D. "Too funny!"
Hint: A short written laugh captures the quoted reaction. Four letters, starts with H.
3D. Common element found in meteorites
Hint: Think of the familiar metal commonly present in meteorites. Four letters, starts with I.
4D. On the ___ (fleeing capture)
Hint: Complete the fixed phrase describing a fugitive escaping capture. Three letters, starts with L.
5D. Avoid paying, as taxes
Hint: Find the verb meaning to dodge a tax obligation. Five letters, starts with E.
6D. Cut ___ the same cloth
Hint: Complete the idiom describing things cut out of the same material. Four letters, starts with F.
7D. Goodyear product
Hint: Think of the rubber ring Goodyear manufactures for vehicles. Four letters, starts with T.
8D. Went down, as stocks
Hint: Use the market verb indicating that share prices moved lower. Four letters, starts with S.
10D. San Diego ballplayer
Hint: Use the singular nickname for a member of San Diego's MLB club. Five letters, starts with P.
15D. Green film character with a green lightsaber
Hint: Picture the diminutive green Jedi master known for unusual syntax. Four letters, starts with Y.
18D. Demi of "The Substance"
Hint: Think of the actor Demi who stars in “The Substance.” Five letters, starts with M.
19D. Body parts touched after the knees, in a nursery song
Hint: Continue the nursery-song body-part sequence just beyond the knees. Four letters, starts with T.
20D. Egg (on)
Hint: Find the verb meaning to prod or encourage. Four letters, starts with U.
21D. Console for the game Forza Horizon
Hint: Think of Microsoft's game-console family associated with Forza Horizon. Four letters, starts with X.
22D. Souvenir from a theater ticket
Hint: Name the small ticket remnant retained after admission. Four letters, starts with S.
23D. "Don't ___ the player, ___ the game"
Hint: The same strong-dislike verb fills both blanks in the saying. Four letters, starts with H.
24D. Like many items on Facebook Marketplace
Hint: Think preowned rather than factory-new. Four letters, starts with U.
27D. Actor Lowe
Hint: Think of the actor Lowe who played Chris Traeger on “Parks and Recreation.” Three letters, starts with R.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. ___ Beta Kappa
Answer: PHI
4A. Two of them make a U-turn
Answer: LEFTS
9A. Org. focused on the 50+ crowd
Answer: AARP
11A. "Sk8er Boi" singer Lavigne
Answer: AVRIL
12A. "Mind. Blown."
Answer: WHOA
13A. New Zealand native
Answer: MAORI
14A. Like the interior of a car after a beach trip, often
Answer: SANDY
16A. Contacted on social media, for short
Answer: DMED
17A. Where all roads lead, in a classic saying suggested by this puzzle's circled letters
Answer: ROME
19A. Formal wedding attire
Answer: TUXEDO
22A. Moo ___ pork
Answer: SHU
25A. Shape of a marble
Answer: ORB
26A. Largest arteries in human bodies
Answer: AORTAS
28A. Id's counterpart
Answer: EGO
29A. Path from point A to point B
Answer: ROUTE
30A. "An emotion in motion," per Mae West
Answer: SEX
31A. Flowed back, as the tide
Answer: EBBED
Down Answers
1D. Fido's feet
Answer: PAWS
2D. "Too funny!"
Answer: HAHA
3D. Common element found in meteorites
Answer: IRON
4D. On the ___ (fleeing capture)
Answer: LAM
5D. Avoid paying, as taxes
Answer: EVADE
6D. Cut ___ the same cloth
Answer: FROM
7D. Goodyear product
Answer: TIRE
8D. Went down, as stocks
Answer: SLID
10D. San Diego ballplayer
Answer: PADRE
15D. Green film character with a green lightsaber
Answer: YODA
18D. Demi of "The Substance"
Answer: MOORE
19D. Body parts touched after the knees, in a nursery song
Answer: TOES
20D. Egg (on)
Answer: URGE
21D. Console for the game Forza Horizon
Answer: XBOX
22D. Souvenir from a theater ticket
Answer: STUB
23D. "Don't ___ the player, ___ the game"
Answer: HATE
24D. Like many items on Facebook Marketplace
Answer: USED
27D. Actor Lowe
Answer: ROB
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 17A, ROME, defines the puzzle because “all roads lead to Rome” directly explains both the clue and the circled-letter road conceit.
Wordplay Winner: 4A wins with LEFTS. Two left turns reverse your heading, so the clue converts a familiar maneuver into a compact directional joke.
Quick Fill: YODA at 15D is the fastest confident fill because the green lightsaber makes the character unmistakable. Its crossings confirm SANDY, ROME, TUXEDO, and AORTAS through a clean central run.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Bank the fixed expressions early: PHI, SHU, LAM, and FROM come directly from established names, dishes, and idioms. Those entries provide dependable crossing letters before the looser clues demand attention.
When a clue signals shorthand, preserve the required tense. DMED looks unusual, but its crossings with EVADE, FROM, TIRE, and SLID validate the compact form.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, pairing direct trivia with compact turns of phrase and a tidy circled-letter payoff. ROME gave the center a clear destination.
See you at the next grid.
