NYT Midi Crossword Hints, Clues and Answers for Sunday, August 9, 2026

Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and pairs compact trivia with a visual furniture gimmick and crisp wordplay. Settle in for a grid that rewards close reading.

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: 30 (15 Across, 15 Down)

Trickiest Clue: 4D is the trickiest clue because its blanks conceal an extraction step, followed by a second layer of comedy knowledge.

Gimme Clue: 17D is the clearest gimme, since the legendary boxer is identified directly by his first name and profession.

Theme Spotted: "Take the L"

Clue Decoder (Hints Only)

Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.

Across Hints

1A. Utters
Hint: Use a present-tense verb for speaking words aloud. Four letters, starts with S.

5A. Treats, as a sprained ankle
Hint: Think of applying a cold pack to reduce swelling after a minor injury. Four letters, starts with I.

9A. Wilson of "Wedding Crashers"
Hint: Picture the laid-back Wedding Crashers actor who co-starred with Vince Vaughn. Four letters, starts with O.

10A. Anxiety about skipping a party, for short
Hint: Use the familiar initialism for the worry that an event is happening without you. Four letters, starts with F.

11A. Pumpkin carving season
Hint: Think of the season associated with jack-o'-lanterns and cooler weather. Four letters, starts with F.

12A. "___ a Fun Age" (2019 best-selling book)
Hint: Complete Kiley Reid's 2019 novel about a young babysitter and her employer. Four letters, starts with S.

13A. Up to, informally
Hint: The clue wants a clipped conversational form meaning up to a specified point. Three letters, starts with T.

14A. Keanu Reeves's role in "The Matrix"
Hint: Name the hacker protagonist played by Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. Three letters, starts with N.

15A. How herbs and spices may be added, in a recipe
Hint: Use the recipe phrase that leaves the seasoning amount to the cook's preference. Seven letters, starts with T.

19A. Modern rock band fronted by Jeff Tweedy
Hint: Name Jeff Tweedy's Chicago alternative-rock band. Five letters, starts with W.

20A. Regional qualifying tournament ... or a hint to the furniture seen twice in this puzzle?
Hint: Start with the noun for a regional qualifying event, then notice how it can also describe modular furniture. Nine letters, starts with S.

24A. Track shape
Hint: Picture the elongated closed loop used for running races. Four letters, starts with O.

25A. Italian city with an attraction tilted like this clue's letters
Hint: Name the Tuscan city famous for its leaning bell tower. The clue's typography mimics the landmark. Four letters, starts with P.

26A. Term of endearment akin to "sweetie"
Hint: Use an affectionate form of address in the same register as “sweetie.” Four letters, starts with B.

27A. Digital marketplace for crafters
Hint: Think of the online marketplace associated with handmade and vintage goods. Four letters, starts with E.

Down Hints

1D. Word before launch or taco
Hint: Find the shared modifier in a gentle product debut and a folded tortilla with a flexible shell. Four letters, starts with S.

2D. Look forward to
Hint: Use a verb for expecting an upcoming person or event. Five letters, starts with A.

3D. Part of a pickup line in New York?
Hint: Read “pickup” literally. In New York, the vehicle being hailed carries passengers. Nine letters, starts with Y.

4D. The letters missing from comedy actor "Adam _a_d_er," fittingly
Hint: Restore the comedy actor's name mentally, then collect only the omitted characters. Their other identity completes the joke. Three letters, starts with S.

5D. Hypotheticals
Hint: Turn hypothetical conditions into a short plural noun. Three letters, starts with I.

6D. "For sure!"
Hint: The quotation calls for a confident assurance that the listener can rely on. Nine letters, starts with C.

7D. Awards show host
Hint: Think of the person who introduces presenters and keeps an awards ceremony moving. Five letters, starts with E.

8D. Manhattan neighborhood near Greenwich Village
Hint: Name the downtown Manhattan district directly south of Greenwich Village, known for cast-iron buildings. Four letters, starts with S.

16D. This puzzle's is "Take the L"
Hint: The quoted phrase is the puzzle's name, so the entry asks for the label itself rather than a word from it. Five letters, starts with T.

17D. Boxer Muhammad
Hint: The clue seeks the boxing legend identified by the given first name. Three letters, starts with A.

18D. Listerine rival
Hint: Name the mouthwash brand positioned as a rival to Listerine. Five letters, starts with S.

20D. Weep
Hint: Use a compact verb for crying hard. Three letters, starts with S.

21D. Actress Longoria
Hint: Think of the Longoria who played Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives. Three letters, starts with E.

22D. Pompous sort
Hint: The clue uses an animal term as an insult for an arrogant fool. Three letters, starts with A.

23D. Set (down)
Hint: Choose the present-tense verb for placing something down. Three letters, starts with L.

Full Answers

Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.

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Across Answers

1A. Utters
Answer: SAYS

5A. Treats, as a sprained ankle
Answer: ICES

9A. Wilson of "Wedding Crashers"
Answer: OWEN

10A. Anxiety about skipping a party, for short
Answer: FOMO

11A. Pumpkin carving season
Answer: FALL

12A. "___ a Fun Age" (2019 best-selling book)
Answer: SUCH

13A. Up to, informally
Answer: TIL

14A. Keanu Reeves's role in "The Matrix"
Answer: NEO

15A. How herbs and spices may be added, in a recipe
Answer: TOTASTE

19A. Modern rock band fronted by Jeff Tweedy
Answer: WILCO

20A. Regional qualifying tournament ... or a hint to the furniture seen twice in this puzzle?
Answer: SECTIONAL

24A. Track shape
Answer: OVAL

25A. Italian city with an attraction tilted like this clue's letters
Answer: PISA

26A. Term of endearment akin to "sweetie"
Answer: BABE

27A. Digital marketplace for crafters
Answer: ETSY

Down Answers

1D. Word before launch or taco
Answer: SOFT

2D. Look forward to
Answer: AWAIT

3D. Part of a pickup line in New York?
Answer: YELLOWCAB

4D. The letters missing from comedy actor "Adam _a_d_er," fittingly
Answer: SNL

5D. Hypotheticals
Answer: IFS

6D. "For sure!"
Answer: COUNTONIT

7D. Awards show host
Answer: EMCEE

8D. Manhattan neighborhood near Greenwich Village
Answer: SOHO

16D. This puzzle's is "Take the L"
Answer: TITLE

17D. Boxer Muhammad
Answer: ALI

18D. Listerine rival
Answer: SCOPE

20D. Weep
Answer: SOB

21D. Actress Longoria
Answer: EVA

22D. Pompous sort
Answer: ASS

23D. Set (down)
Answer: LAY

Grid Breakdown

Here's what made today's puzzle tick:

Standout Clue: 20A, SECTIONAL, defines the puzzle because it means a regional qualifier while also naming modular furniture. The puzzle's Take the L label supplies the shape pun behind that furniture reference.

Wordplay Winner: 4D wins with SNL, extracted from the missing characters in Adam Sandler's name. The result also names the comedy show associated with Sandler, giving the deletion a fitting payoff.

Quick Fill: 17D, ALI, is the fastest confident fill. Its crossings steady TO TASTE, WILCO, and SECTIONAL through the grid's center.

Speed Solver Tips

Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:

Bank direct names such as ALI, NEO, and ETSY before wrestling with the longer phrases. Their crossings expose useful internal letters in the grid's denser areas.

When a clue signals a pun, enter only what the literal reading supports and let crossings confirm it. That approach turns YELLOW CAB and SECTIONAL from broad possibilities into precise fills.