Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans on crisp trivia, playful phrasing, and a shaded-square sound trick. Settle in for a lively grid with a satisfying payoff.
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 (11 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 25A is the trickiest clue because its everyday cookout reading doubles as a sound-based instruction for the shaded squares.
Gimme Clue: 10A is the clearest gimme, since the bullring prompt points to an instantly recognizable Spanish cry.
Theme Spotted: "Grill Marks"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. "The place where our brain and the universe meet," per Cézanne
Hint: Think of the visual quality Cézanne treated as the meeting point between perception and the cosmos. Five letters, starts with C.
6A. "Semper Fi" group
Hint: Identify the U.S. service branch whose motto is “Semper Fi.” Seven letters, starts with M.
8A. Black-and-yellow buzzer
Hint: Picture the fuzzy black-and-yellow pollinator with a deep, droning buzz. Nine letters, starts with B.
10A. Bullfight cheer
Hint: Listen for the traditional Spanish shout heard in a bullring. Three letters, starts with O.
11A. Some verbal hesitations
Hint: Use the brief vocal sounds that mark a pause while a speaker hunts for words. Three letters, starts with E.
12A. "Who'da thunk it?!"
Hint: Reach for a folksy exclamation of surprise, the kind said after an unexpected discovery. Nine letters, starts with W.
16A. "Yo te ___" ("I love you," in Spanish)
Hint: Complete the familiar Spanish declaration of affection. Three letters, starts with A.
17A. Nonverbal signal expressed in conversation
Hint: Think of a gesture or facial expression that silently guides an interaction. Nine letters, starts with S.
23A. Group activity where you may be going nowhere fast?
Hint: Picture an instructor-led indoor cycling workout on stationary bikes. Nine letters, starts with S.
24A. "when do u land?"
Hint: The texter wants the standard abbreviation for an expected arrival. Three letters, starts with E.
25A. Labor Day cookout, e.g. ... or a phonetic hint to the shaded squares, when read from top to bottom
Hint: Think of the cookout abbreviation, then sound out the shaded squares vertically. Three letters, starts with B.
Down Hints
1D. Herbivore with a hump or two
Hint: Picture a desert herbivore known for storing fat in raised back structures. Five letters, starts with C.
2D. Sphere
Hint: Reach for a compact, slightly poetic synonym for a sphere. Three letters, starts with O.
3D. Rap's ___ Uzi Vert
Hint: Think of the Philadelphia rapper Uzi Vert and the short stage-name element that comes before it. Three letters, starts with L.
4D. Number of times England has won the World Cup
Hint: Recall England’s championship history in the men’s tournament, focusing on the home-soil triumph that stands apart. Three letters, starts with O.
5D. Rise up against authority
Hint: Use the verb for openly resisting or defying those in charge. Five letters, starts with R.
6D. Stubborn as a ___
Hint: Complete the familiar animal comparison for extreme stubbornness. Four letters, starts with M.
7D. Native of Belgrade
Hint: Name the demonym for a native of Belgrade. Four letters, starts with S.
8D. Elegant add-on over wrapping paper
Hint: Picture the decorative looped ribbon placed atop a wrapped gift. Three letters, starts with B.
9D. Suffix with Japan or Vietnam
Hint: Attach the same nationality-forming ending used with both country names. Three letters, starts with E.
13D. Reclined
Hint: Use the past participle of “lie” in the resting-position sense. Four letters, starts with L.
14D. Apple desktop computer
Hint: Think of Apple’s desktop line with the display built into the main unit. Four letters, starts with I.
15D. Veg out
Hint: Choose a verb for relaxing idly, sprawled without purpose. Four letters, starts with L.
17D. Opposite of NNW
Hint: Reverse both compass components in the given abbreviation. Three letters, starts with S.
18D. Decide (to)
Hint: Use a compact verb meaning choose, followed naturally by “to.” Three letters, starts with O.
19D. Government org. based near the Potomac River
Hint: Think of the U.S. foreign-intelligence agency headquartered in Langley, near the Potomac. Three letters, starts with C.
20D. Taxi
Hint: Use the brief everyday word for a hired city car. Three letters, starts with C.
21D. Kind of charging port, for short
Hint: Think of the connector abbreviation used across phones, laptops, and charging cables. Three letters, starts with U.
22D. Lawyer's title: Abbr.
Hint: Supply the abbreviated postnominal placed after an attorney’s name. Three letters, starts with E.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. "The place where our brain and the universe meet," per Cézanne
Answer: COLOR
6A. "Semper Fi" group
Answer: MARINES
8A. Black-and-yellow buzzer
Answer: BUMBLEBEE
10A. Bullfight cheer
Answer: OLE
11A. Some verbal hesitations
Answer: ERS
12A. "Who'da thunk it?!"
Answer: WELLILLBE
16A. "Yo te ___" ("I love you," in Spanish)
Answer: AMO
17A. Nonverbal signal expressed in conversation
Answer: SOCIALCUE
23A. Group activity where you may be going nowhere fast?
Answer: SPINCLASS
24A. "when do u land?"
Answer: ETA
25A. Labor Day cookout, e.g. ... or a phonetic hint to the shaded squares, when read from top to bottom
Answer: BBQ
Down Answers
1D. Herbivore with a hump or two
Answer: CAMEL
2D. Sphere
Answer: ORB
3D. Rap's ___ Uzi Vert
Answer: LIL
4D. Number of times England has won the World Cup
Answer: ONE
5D. Rise up against authority
Answer: REBEL
6D. Stubborn as a ___
Answer: MULE
7D. Native of Belgrade
Answer: SERB
8D. Elegant add-on over wrapping paper
Answer: BOW
9D. Suffix with Japan or Vietnam
Answer: ESE
13D. Reclined
Answer: LAIN
14D. Apple desktop computer
Answer: IMAC
15D. Veg out
Answer: LOLL
17D. Opposite of NNW
Answer: SSE
18D. Decide (to)
Answer: OPT
19D. Government org. based near the Potomac River
Answer: CIA
20D. Taxi
Answer: CAB
21D. Kind of charging port, for short
Answer: USB
22D. Lawyer's title: Abbr.
Answer: ESQ
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 25A pairs the Labor Day cookout clue with BBQ, which also sounds out the shaded squares from top to bottom. That second job turns an ordinary abbreviation into the grid’s defining payoff.
Wordplay Winner: 23A wins the wordplay prize with SPIN CLASS. “Going nowhere fast” sounds like failed progress, but it literally describes hard pedaling on a stationary bike.
Quick Fill: OLE at 10A is the fastest confident fill because the bullfight cheer is immediate. Its crossings secure BOW, MULE, and CAMEL across the upper-left section.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Fill BUMBLEBEE at 8A as soon as the buzzer clue clicks. That long entry supplies strong checks for CAMEL, ORB, LIL, ONE, REBEL, MULE, SERB, BOW, and ESE.
In the lower section, attack the compact Downs first. CIA, CAB, USB, and ESQ quickly verify SOCIAL CUE, SPIN CLASS, ETA, and BBQ.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid balances direct trivia with sharper conversational entries, then lets BBQ tie the shaded material together cleanly. SPIN CLASS supplies the laugh, while the compact crossings keep the finish crisp.
See you at the next grid.
