Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and a visual trick gives the trivia and conversational clues an extra spark. Come on in and enjoy the hunt.
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: 29 (14 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 17A is the trickiest clue because its closing question asks you to connect mythology with the grid's design.
Gimme Clue: 6D is the gimme, since the clue displays the punctuation mark it wants you to name.
Theme Spotted: "Triple Dog Dare"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Roadside service org.
Hint: Think of the membership group you call for a tow. Three letters, starts with A.
4A. 300, in Roman numerals
Hint: Roman notation builds this value by repeating a symbol. Three letters, starts with C.
7A. With 8-Across, Polynesian-themed attraction at Disneyland
Hint: Think of Disneyland's tropical attraction with singing birds. Four letters, starts with T.
8A. See 7-Across
Hint: Complete the attraction name begun at 7A. Four letters, starts with R.
10A. "Sign me up!"
Hint: Think of an enthusiastic reply accepting an invitation. Four letters, starts with I.
11A. Folk singer Guthrie
Hint: Think of Woody Guthrie's folk-singing son. Four letters, starts with A.
12A. Betraying to the feds, maybe
Hint: Think of informing on someone to federal agents. Nine letters, starts with R.
14A. "when are u getting here?"
Hint: Use texting shorthand for the arrival timing being requested. Three letters, starts with E.
15A. Similar (to)
Hint: Think of a term meaning related or similar in nature. Four letters, starts with A.
16A. "I did NOT need to hear all that!"
Hint: Think of a texting response to oversharing. Three letters, starts with T.
17A. Mythological dog with three heads ... like the figures in this puzzle?
Hint: Think of the canine guardian of the Greek underworld. Eight letters, starts with C.
22A. Feeling that might cause an athlete to choke
Hint: Think of the mental strain of having to perform. Eight letters, starts with P.
23A. "I Played 'The Boys ___ Back in Town' on a Bar Jukebox Until I Got Kicked Out" (VICE article)
Hint: Complete the Thin Lizzy song name embedded in the article headline. Three letters, starts with A.
24A. Circus enclosure
Hint: Think of the canvas shelter over the circus ring. Four letters, starts with T.
Down Hints
1D. Put in the crosshairs
Hint: Think of directing a weapon toward a target. Five letters, starts with A.
2D. Dog breed from Japan
Hint: Think of the large Japanese breed with a curled tail. Five letters, starts with A.
3D. "Say it ___ so!"
Hint: Think of the informal negative in a familiar cry of disbelief. Four letters, starts with A.
4D. Most grouchy
Hint: Take grouchiness to its strongest degree. Nine letters, starts with C.
5D. Dog breed from Wales
Hint: Think of the short-legged herding dog associated with British royalty. Five letters, starts with C.
6D. This: :
Hint: Name the punctuation mark displayed in the clue. Five letters, starts with C.
7D. A unicycle has one
Hint: Think of the rubber component around the wheel. Four letters, starts with T.
9D. Day before Tue.
Hint: Move backward in the weekly calendar, keeping the abbreviation. Three letters, starts with M.
13D. Poetic feet with the pattern "duh-DUH"
Hint: Think of poetic rhythm moving from an unstressed syllable to a stressed syllable. Five letters, starts with I.
16D. Birch or beech
Hint: Think of the broad plant category that includes both examples. Four letters, starts with T.
17D. Many an I.R.S. employee
Hint: Think of a professional credential in accounting. Three letters, starts with C.
18D. "To ___ is human ..."
Hint: Think of human fallibility in the familiar saying. Three letters, starts with E.
19D. Regret
Hint: Think of looking back on a choice with remorse. Three letters, starts with R.
20D. "Ode on a Grecian ___" (Keats poem)
Hint: Think of the ancient pottery addressed by the poet. Three letters, starts with U.
21D. Complete collection
Hint: Think of objects belonging together as a complete whole. Three letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Roadside service org.
Answer: AAA
4A. 300, in Roman numerals
Answer: CCC
7A. With 8-Across, Polynesian-themed attraction at Disneyland
Answer: TIKI
8A. See 7-Across
Answer: ROOM
10A. "Sign me up!"
Answer: IMIN
11A. Folk singer Guthrie
Answer: ARLO
12A. Betraying to the feds, maybe
Answer: RATTINGON
14A. "when are u getting here?"
Answer: ETA
15A. Similar (to)
Answer: AKIN
16A. "I did NOT need to hear all that!"
Answer: TMI
17A. Mythological dog with three heads ... like the figures in this puzzle?
Answer: CERBERUS
22A. Feeling that might cause an athlete to choke
Answer: PRESSURE
23A. "I Played 'The Boys ___ Back in Town' on a Bar Jukebox Until I Got Kicked Out" (VICE article)
Answer: ARE
24A. Circus enclosure
Answer: TENT
Down Answers
1D. Put in the crosshairs
Answer: AIMAT
2D. Dog breed from Japan
Answer: AKITA
3D. "Say it ___ so!"
Answer: AINT
4D. Most grouchy
Answer: CRANKIEST
5D. Dog breed from Wales
Answer: CORGI
6D. This: :
Answer: COLON
7D. A unicycle has one
Answer: TIRE
9D. Day before Tue.
Answer: MON
13D. Poetic feet with the pattern "duh-DUH"
Answer: IAMBS
16D. Birch or beech
Answer: TREE
17D. Many an I.R.S. employee
Answer: CPA
18D. "To ___ is human ..."
Answer: ERR
19D. Regret
Answer: RUE
20D. "Ode on a Grecian ___" (Keats poem)
Answer: URN
21D. Complete collection
Answer: SET
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 17A's mythological dog clue earns its CERBERUS reveal by pointing beyond the answer itself. AKITA and CORGI supply the canine connection, while the AAA and CCC runs atop them echo the creature's three heads.
Wordplay Winner: 22A wins the misdirection prize with PRESSURE. The athlete's choking is a failure to perform under stress, so the clue turns a physical-sounding verb into a psychological hint.
Quick Fill: AAA at 1A is a confident opening fill from the roadside-service abbreviation. It supplies the initial A in AIMAT, AKITA and AINT, giving the upper-left corner an immediate foothold.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Match the clue's register before chasing synonyms. The texting-style prompts at 14A and 16A steer you toward ETA and TMI, while the abbreviated weekday clue at 9D calls for MON.
Treat linked clues as a single task. Reading 7A and 8A together lets you retrieve TIKI ROOM as an attraction name, then distribute it across the linked entries.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The short conversational fills offer a friendly way in, and CERBERUS rewards a final look at the grid as a picture. That visual payoff gives the finished puzzle an extra touch of personality.
See you at the next grid.