Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans into crisp trivia, compact idioms, and a circled-letter thread running through its longest entries. Settle in for a lively grid with satisfying connections.
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: 10x11
Total Clues: 41 (19 Across, 22 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 11A is the toughest clue because the circled cells must identify the state before its capital can fall into place.
Gimme Clue: 20A is the clearest gimme, since its two landmark cities point directly to the land they share.
Theme Spotted: "Interstates"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Little piggy
Hint: Think of the anatomical digit represented by a nursery-rhyme piggy. Three letters, starts with T.
4A. "Door" for some tents
Hint: Picture the flexible fabric panel that serves as a tent entrance. Four letters, starts with F.
8A. Toyota RAV4, for one
Hint: Classify the Toyota RAV4 by vehicle type. Three letters, starts with S.
9A. Turkish currency units
Hint: Use the plural name of Turkey's currency units. Five letters, starts with L.
11A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Hint: Identify the capital city of the state hidden in the circled cells. Ten letters, starts with P.
14A. "None of that is true!"
Hint: The quotation is a blunt accusation that every statement was untrue. Four letters, starts with L.
15A. Some E.R. figures
Hint: Think of emergency-room professionals with medical degrees, abbreviated. Three letters, starts with D.
16A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Hint: Look to Delaware's seat of government. Five letters, starts with D.
18A. "Here ___ nothing!"
Hint: Complete the expression spoken just before a risky attempt begins. Four letters, starts with G.
19A. From scratch
Hint: Seek a compact adverb meaning from the beginning again. Four letters, starts with A.
20A. Land of Pyongyang and Seoul
Hint: Name the land containing both Pyongyang and Seoul. Five letters, starts with K.
21A. Hoped-for answer when you ask someone out
Hint: Think of the affirmative reply hoped for after a romantic invitation. Three letters, starts with Y.
22A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Hint: Look for New York state's seat of government. Six letters, starts with A.
23A. Viciously attack
Hint: Use a verb meaning attack savagely. Four letters, starts with M.
24A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Hint: Look for California's seat of government. Ten letters, starts with S.
30A. Sight for sore eyes in the Sahara
Hint: Picture a desert refuge marked by water and vegetation. Five letters, starts with O.
31A. Sound of a fall
Hint: Imitate the heavy impact noise heard when something hits the ground. Four letters, starts with T.
32A. ___, that and the other
Hint: Supply the opening demonstrative in the familiar three-part expression. Four letters, starts with T.
33A. Winter toy
Hint: Picture a winter toy with runners that glides over snow. Four letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. 1/48 of a cup: Abbr.
Hint: Use the recipe abbreviation for a small spoon measure equal to 1/48 of a cup. Three letters, starts with T.
2D. "___ Town" (Thornton Wilder play)
Hint: Supply the possessive pronoun completing Thornton Wilder's play title. Three letters, starts with O.
3D. Develops over time
Hint: Think of a verb meaning changes gradually over time. Seven letters, starts with E.
4D. Frequent-___ miles
Hint: The missing traveler noun completes an airline loyalty phrase. Five letters, starts with F.
5D. Tupperware covers
Hint: Picture the snap-on tops used to seal plastic food containers. Four letters, starts with L.
6D. "You ___ my fire / The one desire" (Backstreet Boys lyric)
Hint: Supply the linking verb in the quoted Backstreet Boys lyric. Three letters, starts with A.
7D. Spotify alternative
Hint: Think of a music-streaming rival named for the mythological figure who opened a forbidden container. Seven letters, starts with P.
10D. Part of a television
Hint: Name the television component on which pictures appear. Six letters, starts with S.
12D. Unit for a YouTube video
Hint: Think of the metric recorded whenever a YouTube video is watched. Four letters, starts with V.
13D. Final assessment in some high school classes
Hint: Picture a written final assessment assigned in a high school class. Five letters, starts with E.
16D. "You will rue the ___!"
Hint: Complete the theatrical threat with a basic unit of calendar time. Three letters, starts with D.
17D. Scrabble value for U
Hint: Use the lowest tile score assigned to a letter in Scrabble. Three letters, starts with O.
18D. Fancy drinking vessels
Hint: Picture ornate stemmed vessels used for drinking. Seven letters, starts with G.
20D. Supermodel Heidi
Hint: Complete the name of German-American supermodel and television host Heidi ___. Four letters, starts with K.
22D. Small batteries
Hint: Use the plural battery label formed from three identical grade letters. Four letters, starts with A.
23D. Some hospital scans, in brief
Hint: Think of hospital imaging procedures that use magnetic fields, written in brief. Four letters, starts with M.
24D. Drunkard
Hint: Use an old-fashioned term for a habitual drunkard. Three letters, starts with S.
25D. Sound of relaxation
Hint: Imitate the soft vocalization released upon relaxing. Three letters, starts with A.
26D. CBS franchise with theme songs by the Who
Hint: Name the CBS crime-procedural franchise whose installments use songs by the Who. Three letters, starts with C.
27D. Org. for Panthers and Predators
Hint: Identify the professional ice hockey league containing the Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. Three letters, starts with N.
28D. Wed. preceder
Hint: Write the calendar abbreviation immediately before Wed. Three letters, starts with T.
29D. Un-even?
Hint: The hyphen turns the clue into a direct contrast with even. Three letters, starts with O.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Little piggy
Answer: TOE
4A. "Door" for some tents
Answer: FLAP
8A. Toyota RAV4, for one
Answer: SUV
9A. Turkish currency units
Answer: LIRAS
11A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Answer: PROVIDENCE
14A. "None of that is true!"
Answer: LIES
15A. Some E.R. figures
Answer: DRS
16A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Answer: DOVER
18A. "Here ___ nothing!"
Answer: GOES
19A. From scratch
Answer: ANEW
20A. Land of Pyongyang and Seoul
Answer: KOREA
21A. Hoped-for answer when you ask someone out
Answer: YES
22A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Answer: ALBANY
23A. Viciously attack
Answer: MAUL
24A. U.S. capital whose state is found in the circled letters
Answer: SACRAMENTO
30A. Sight for sore eyes in the Sahara
Answer: OASIS
31A. Sound of a fall
Answer: THUD
32A. ___, that and the other
Answer: THIS
33A. Winter toy
Answer: SLED
Down Answers
1D. 1/48 of a cup: Abbr.
Answer: TSP
2D. "___ Town" (Thornton Wilder play)
Answer: OUR
3D. Develops over time
Answer: EVOLVES
4D. Frequent-___ miles
Answer: FLIER
5D. Tupperware covers
Answer: LIDS
6D. "You ___ my fire / The one desire" (Backstreet Boys lyric)
Answer: ARE
7D. Spotify alternative
Answer: PANDORA
10D. Part of a television
Answer: SCREEN
12D. Unit for a YouTube video
Answer: VIEW
13D. Final assessment in some high school classes
Answer: ESSAY
16D. "You will rue the ___!"
Answer: DAY
17D. Scrabble value for U
Answer: ONE
18D. Fancy drinking vessels
Answer: GOBLETS
20D. Supermodel Heidi
Answer: KLUM
22D. Small batteries
Answer: AAAS
23D. Some hospital scans, in brief
Answer: MRIS
24D. Drunkard
Answer: SOT
25D. Sound of relaxation
Answer: AAH
26D. CBS franchise with theme songs by the Who
Answer: CSI
27D. Org. for Panthers and Predators
Answer: NHL
28D. Wed. preceder
Answer: TUE
29D. Un-even?
Answer: ODD
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 11A, PROVIDENCE, defines the puzzle because the full-row capital pairs with Rhode Island in the circled letters, establishing the extraction pattern for the other civic entries.
Wordplay Winner: 29D wins with ODD. The hyphen in "Un-even?" recasts an ordinary adjective as the literal opposite of even.
Quick Fill: 20A, KOREA, is the fastest confident fill because Pyongyang and Seoul make the geography direct. It anchors KLUM, GOBLETS, PANDORA, SCREEN, and ESSAY through its crossings.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When repeated clues signal an extraction, solve the most familiar member first. SACRAMENTO and ALBANY help establish the capital pattern, which narrows PROVIDENCE and DOVER.
Bank the compact abbreviations once crossings confirm them. TSP, DRS, MRIS, NHL, and TUE can unlock several neighboring entries with little ambiguity.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, pairing direct short fill with a circled-state mechanism that rewarded attention. PROVIDENCE supplied the clearest thematic payoff.
See you at the next grid.
