Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans into playful double meanings, crisp trivia, and several clues that reward reading ordinary words in unexpected ways. Settle in and enjoy a grid with plenty of satisfying turns.
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: 34 (17 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 4D is the trickiest clue because it asks for a specific miniature-figurine brand that is much easier with crossings.
Gimme Clue: 16A is the easiest gimme because its direct definition points cleanly to a familiar noun for deep sorrow.
Theme Spotted: "Higher-Ups"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Place to see seashells and sea swells
Hint: 1A points to the sandy stretch where waves arrive and shell collectors search along the shore. Five letters, starts with B.
6A. Show praise, in a way
Hint: 6A wants a way to applaud using your fingers rather than your palms. Four letters, starts with S.
10A. Tank top?
Hint: 10A refers to the green growth that can collect along the upper surface of an aquarium. Five letters, starts with A.
11A. Binary digit
Hint: 11A seeks the binary value associated with off, false, or an inactive state. Four letters, starts with Z.
12A. $$$
Hint: 12A calls for a playful slang term for money. Five letters, starts with M.
13A. 12-Across dispensers, for short
Hint: 13A refers to the abbreviated name for machines that dispense the money in 12A. Four letters, starts with A.
14A. "___ got a good feeling about this!"
Hint: 14A completes the upbeat sentence with its subject and a contracted helping verb. Three letters, starts with I.
16A. Deep sorrow
Hint: 16A needs a compact noun for profound misery or grief. Three letters, starts with W.
17A. Tree top?
Hint: 17A uses a family tree, not a plant, and asks who appears higher in the lineage. Eight letters, starts with A.
20A. Texter's response to a sidesplitting joke
Hint: 20A wants the texting initialism for an especially strong laughing reaction. Four letters, starts with L.
21A. Give it a brake!
Hint: 21A points to the everyday vehicle whose brake pedal the driver presses. Three letters, starts with C.
22A. "The Bachelorette" airer
Hint: 22A asks for the broadcast network that airs the reality dating series. Three letters, starts with A.
23A. Lap top?
Hint: 23A refers to the paper or cloth item placed across a diner's lap. Six letters, starts with N.
26A. Nonchalant response
Hint: 26A wants the shrug-like interjection that signals indifference or a lack of enthusiasm. Three letters, starts with M.
27A. Per
Hint: 27A calls for a phrase meaning for each one individually. Six letters, starts with A.
28A. Frat dude, perhaps
Hint: 28A seeks the casual buddy term stereotypically associated with a fraternity guy. Three letters, starts with B.
29A. Was awaiting a decision
Hint: 29A needs the past-tense status word for something that remained unresolved while a ruling was awaited. Six letters, starts with P.
Down Hints
1D. "Bang!"
Hint: 1D is a comic-book-style impact sound, the sort printed beside a sudden collision. Three letters, starts with B.
2D. Chess rating system
Hint: 2D refers to the numerical method used to rank chess players according to competitive results. Three letters, starts with E.
3D. Previously
Hint: 3D wants the word that follows a duration to place an event in the past. Three letters, starts with A.
4D. ___ Critters, line of miniature figurines that includes the Latte Cat Family
Hint: 4D points to the wholesome miniature animal-family toy brand that includes the Latte Cat Family. Six letters, starts with C.
5D. Not just fling
Hint: 5D needs a forceful toss that takes more effort than an ordinary fling. Five letters, starts with H.
6D. R&B singer with the 2023 hit "Snooze"
Hint: 6D identifies the R&B artist behind the 2023 hit named in the clue. Three letters, starts with S.
7D. Made connections on LinkedIn, say
Hint: 7D wants the past-tense verb for building professional contacts through a career-focused social platform. Nine letters, starts with N.
8D. Iron clothes?
Hint: 8D treats iron as protective clothing worn for battle rather than fabric headed to an ironing board. Five letters, starts with A.
9D. Cow or cat, in yoga
Hint: 9D asks for the shared yoga term describing the cow and cat body positions. Four letters, starts with P.
15D. Getaway
Hint: 15D can mean either getting free from confinement or taking a brief retreat from routine. Six letters, starts with E.
17D. Substance that insects may be fossilized in
Hint: 17D is the hardened golden tree resin famous for preserving ancient insects. Five letters, starts with A.
18D. Chip with cheese
Hint: 18D refers to a tortilla chip served with melted cheese and other toppings. Five letters, starts with N.
19D. Simple golf shot
Hint: 19D is the very short putt that needs only a gentle touch to reach the cup. Five letters, starts with T.
20D. Petting zoo baby
Hint: 20D asks for a young sheep commonly encountered in a petting zoo. Four letters, starts with L.
23D. Pleasant activity in a hammock
Hint: 23D is the restful doze that pairs naturally with a gently swaying hammock. Three letters, starts with N.
24D. Chilling stuff
Hint: 24D points to frozen water used to chill drinks and coolers. Three letters, starts with I.
25D. Neighbor of Marge and Homer
Hint: 25D identifies the cheerful, mustached next-door neighbor of Marge and Homer on The Simpsons. Three letters, starts with N.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Place to see seashells and sea swells
Answer: BEACH
6A. Show praise, in a way
Answer: SNAP
10A. Tank top?
Answer: ALGAE
11A. Binary digit
Answer: ZERO
12A. $$$
Answer: MOOLA
13A. 12-Across dispensers, for short
Answer: ATMS
14A. "___ got a good feeling about this!"
Answer: IVE
16A. Deep sorrow
Answer: WOE
17A. Tree top?
Answer: ANCESTOR
20A. Texter's response to a sidesplitting joke
Answer: LMAO
21A. Give it a brake!
Answer: CAR
22A. "The Bachelorette" airer
Answer: ABC
23A. Lap top?
Answer: NAPKIN
26A. Nonchalant response
Answer: MEH
27A. Per
Answer: APIECE
28A. Frat dude, perhaps
Answer: BRO
29A. Was awaiting a decision
Answer: PENDED
Down Answers
1D. "Bang!"
Answer: BAM
2D. Chess rating system
Answer: ELO
3D. Previously
Answer: AGO
4D. ___ Critters, line of miniature figurines that includes the Latte Cat Family
Answer: CALICO
5D. Not just fling
Answer: HEAVE
6D. R&B singer with the 2023 hit "Snooze"
Answer: SZA
7D. Made connections on LinkedIn, say
Answer: NETWORKED
8D. Iron clothes?
Answer: ARMOR
9D. Cow or cat, in yoga
Answer: POSE
15D. Getaway
Answer: ESCAPE
17D. Substance that insects may be fossilized in
Answer: AMBER
18D. Chip with cheese
Answer: NACHO
19D. Simple golf shot
Answer: TAPIN
20D. Petting zoo baby
Answer: LAMB
23D. Pleasant activity in a hammock
Answer: NAP
24D. Chilling stuff
Answer: ICE
25D. Neighbor of Marge and Homer
Answer: NED
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 23A, “Lap top?”, with NAPKIN is today's defining clue. It works because “top” means the item resting on a lap, turning an apparent clothing clue into a dining-table image.
Wordplay Winner: 17A, “Tree top?”, wins the wordplay prize with ANCESTOR. The clue swaps a botanical tree for a family tree, where an ancestor occupies an earlier position in the lineage.
Quick Fill: WOE at 16A is the fastest confident fill because “Deep sorrow” is a clean definition. Its letters immediately confirm NETWORKED, ARMOR, and POSE in the right side of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a short clue ends with a question mark, test alternate meanings of its ordinary nouns. That move unlocks ALGAE for “Tank top?”, ANCESTOR for “Tree top?”, NAPKIN for “Lap top?”, and ARMOR for “Iron clothes?”
Solve explicitly linked clues as a pair. Once MOOLA lands at 12A, ATMS follows quickly at 13A and supplies four useful crossings.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid treated solvers fairly, pairing direct footholds with compact puns that rewarded a second reading. NAPKIN provided the sharpest final grin.
See you at the next grid.
