Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and brings a lively mix of visual wordplay, entertainment trivia, and crisp everyday clues. Settle in for a grid with a playful center.
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: 9x10
Total Clues: 34 (17 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 6D is the toughest, because its stretched-out plea has to be converted into a compact conversational response.
Gimme Clue: 14A is the cleanest gimme, since the clue supplies a world capital with no wordplay to untangle.
Theme Spotted: "Oh, What a Meal"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Org. behind the Voyager missions
Hint: Think of the U.S. space agency that launched Voyager. Four letters, starts with N.
5A. Subj. for a business major
Hint: Look for the abbreviated academic subject focused on markets, incentives, and scarce resources. Four letters, starts with E.
9A. Uptight, colloquially
Hint: Think of a colloquial adjective for rigidly fussy or overly controlling. Four letters, starts with A.
10A. Musician Ono
Hint: Think of the avant-garde artist and musician indicated by the family name in the clue. Four letters, starts with Y.
11A. Low-lying area, poetically
Hint: A poetic term for a low valley is wanted. Four letters, starts with V.
12A. Grooves made by wheels
Hint: Picture the parallel tracks carved into soft ground by tires. Four letters, starts with R.
13A. Abbreviation before an alias
Hint: This is the compact notation used to introduce another name. Three letters, starts with A.
14A. New ___, capital of India
Hint: Complete the name of India's capital city. Five letters, starts with D.
15A. Affectionate nickname for James
Hint: Think of a playful, affectionate form of James. Five letters, starts with J.
17A. Bear's home
Hint: Picture the sheltered lair where a bear rests. Three letters, starts with D.
18A. Appetizer bit that's shaped like two of its letters
Hint: Picture a fried appetizer whose circular form echoes two characters in its own name. Nine letters, starts with O.
20A. Regret
Hint: Use a compact verb meaning to deeply regret an action. Three letters, starts with R.
21A. Cereal piece that's shaped like four of its letters
Hint: Think of one colorful breakfast-cereal piece whose loops echo four characters in its branded name. Nine letters, starts with F.
27A. Deserve
Hint: A verb meaning to merit something through one's actions fits here. Four letters, starts with E.
28A. Diminutive mentor for Luke Skywalker
Hint: Think of Luke Skywalker's small, wise Jedi teacher. Four letters, starts with Y.
29A. The "E" in a B.E.C. sandwich
Hint: Expand the breakfast-sandwich initials and isolate the item represented by the middle one. Three letters, starts with E.
30A. Tina of "Mean Girls"
Hint: Find the writer and performer tied to the quoted teen comedy. Three letters, starts with F.
Down Hints
1D. Native American language used by many code talkers in W.W. II
Hint: Think of the Indigenous language associated with the wartime message specialists in the clue. Six letters, starts with N.
2D. Boy whose shadow looks like Darth Vader on a movie poster for "The Phantom Menace"
Hint: Name the boy depicted beneath the future villain's silhouette on the cited film poster. Six letters, starts with A.
3D. Pepperoni is a type of it
Hint: Name the cured-meat category that includes pepperoni. Six letters, starts with S.
4D. India pale ___
Hint: Complete the familiar name of the hoppy drink style abbreviated IPA. Three letters, starts with A.
5D. "Jane ___" (Charlotte Brontë novel)
Hint: Complete the title of Charlotte Brontë's novel about its orphaned governess. Four letters, starts with E.
6D. "Pleeeease?"
Hint: Hear this as a drawn-out request for permission, phrased like a child pleading. Six letters, starts with C.
7D. "That was a pretty strange thing to say"
Hint: The response is a clipped conversational pivot after someone says something odd. Six letters, starts with O.
8D. Snooping (around)
Hint: Think of prying into another person's business. Six letters, starts with N.
14D. Breakfast item that's shaped like one of its letters
Hint: Picture the ring-shaped breakfast pastry whose form echoes one character in its name. Five letters, starts with D.
16D. Element #5
Hint: Use the periodic table and find the element with atomic number 5. Five letters, starts with B.
19D. Depend (on)
Hint: A basic verb for depending on someone or something is wanted. Four letters, starts with R.
21D. Consultant's charge
Hint: Think of the charge a consultant adds for professional work. Three letters, starts with F.
22D. Piece of old cloth, perhaps
Hint: Picture a worn scrap of cloth used for wiping. Three letters, starts with R.
23D. End of many a nonprofit URL
Hint: Focus on the familiar domain ending used by nonprofit groups. Three letters, starts with O.
24D. "That's rough!"
Hint: Supply the brief sympathetic grunt prompted by bad news or a painful mishap. Three letters, starts with O.
25D. Poem of praise
Hint: Think of a lyric poem written in praise of its subject. Three letters, starts with O.
26D. Pony up
Hint: Use the plain verb for handing over money owed. Three letters, starts with P.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Org. behind the Voyager missions
Answer: NASA
5A. Subj. for a business major
Answer: ECON
9A. Uptight, colloquially
Answer: ANAL
10A. Musician Ono
Answer: YOKO
11A. Low-lying area, poetically
Answer: VALE
12A. Grooves made by wheels
Answer: RUTS
13A. Abbreviation before an alias
Answer: AKA
14A. New ___, capital of India
Answer: DELHI
15A. Affectionate nickname for James
Answer: JIMBO
17A. Bear's home
Answer: DEN
18A. Appetizer bit that's shaped like two of its letters
Answer: ONIONRING
20A. Regret
Answer: RUE
21A. Cereal piece that's shaped like four of its letters
Answer: FROOTLOOP
27A. Deserve
Answer: EARN
28A. Diminutive mentor for Luke Skywalker
Answer: YODA
29A. The "E" in a B.E.C. sandwich
Answer: EGG
30A. Tina of "Mean Girls"
Answer: FEY
Down Answers
1D. Native American language used by many code talkers in W.W. II
Answer: NAVAJO
2D. Boy whose shadow looks like Darth Vader on a movie poster for "The Phantom Menace"
Answer: ANAKIN
3D. Pepperoni is a type of it
Answer: SALAMI
4D. India pale ___
Answer: ALE
5D. "Jane ___" (Charlotte Brontë novel)
Answer: EYRE
6D. "Pleeeease?"
Answer: COULDI
7D. "That was a pretty strange thing to say"
Answer: OKTHEN
8D. Snooping (around)
Answer: NOSING
14D. Breakfast item that's shaped like one of its letters
Answer: DONUT
16D. Element #5
Answer: BORON
19D. Depend (on)
Answer: RELY
21D. Consultant's charge
Answer: FEE
22D. Piece of old cloth, perhaps
Answer: RAG
23D. End of many a nonprofit URL
Answer: ORG
24D. "That's rough!"
Answer: OOF
25D. Poem of praise
Answer: ODE
26D. Pony up
Answer: PAY
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 18A, “Appetizer bit that's shaped like two of its letters,” defines the puzzle with ONIONRING. The snack is circular, and the entry contains two O's that mirror that form.
Wordplay Winner: FROOTLOOP wins the wordplay at 21A. A cereal loop resembles an O, and the branded entry contains four O's, turning spelling into a visual count.
Quick Fill: DELHI drops in immediately from the capital clue and supplies firm crossings for DONUT, EYRE, COULDI, OKTHEN, and NOSING.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
When a clue says an entry resembles letters within its own spelling, count those repeated forms before filling. ONIONRING has two O's, FROOTLOOP has four, and DONUT has one.
Bank direct trivia such as DELHI and YODA early, then use their crossings to settle conversational entries such as COULDI and OKTHEN.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The grid balanced direct trivia with a satisfying visual payoff, and FROOTLOOP gave the finish its brightest snap.
See you at the next grid.
