Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and animal-tagged clues add a hidden-word twist to familiar phrases and everyday trivia. Bring your curiosity and enjoy the little discoveries.
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: 31 (16 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 5D is the toughest wording challenge because it asks for a compact Wall Street expression rather than the formal name of a financial event.
Gimme Clue: 2D is the clearest foothold, with acorns pointing directly to a familiar tree.
Theme Spotted: "Young at Heart"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. ___-benefit analysis
Hint: Think of the spending side of a comparison against potential benefits. Four letters, starts with C.
5A. Practical joke
Hint: Think of a prank staged for a laugh. Three letters, starts with G.
8A. Wood commonly used for building model airplanes
Hint: Model aircraft need timber prized for being exceptionally lightweight. Five letters, starts with B.
10A. Be in debt
Hint: Think of the verb describing an obligation to repay someone. Three letters, starts with O.
11A. Some variety show pieces [Fox]
Hint: Think of brief comic scenes performed within a larger entertainment program. Five letters, starts with S.
12A. "If you ask me ...," in a text
Hint: A texting abbreviation introduces a personal view rather than an established fact. Three letters, starts with I.
13A. Browser irritant [Seal]
Hint: Think of an unsolicited promotional window that interrupts your browsing. Seven letters, starts with P.
15A. Tel Aviv's land: Abbr.
Hint: Abbreviate the country on the eastern Mediterranean that contains Tel Aviv. Three letters, starts with I.
16A. Zero
Hint: Think of a response indicating a complete absence. Four letters, starts with N.
17A. Cook with blazing alcohol [Sheep]
Hint: Think of the culinary technique that ignites spirits over a dish. Six letters, starts with F.
19A. Like a limbo bar at the end of the game
Hint: Picture the bar near the floor, forcing a deep backward bend. Three letters, starts with L.
20A. Word repeated in a nursery song before "We all fall down"
Hint: Mentally sing the ending of the playground rhyme about a ring of roses. Five letters, starts with A.
24A. "Snug ___ bug ..."
Hint: Complete the familiar comparison about a bug tucked into a rug. Three letters, starts with A.
25A. Diving equipment [Bear]
Hint: Think of the underwater breathing apparatus carried by a diver. Five letters, starts with S.
26A. Answer sheet
Hint: Think of the reference a teacher uses to check completed tests. Three letters, starts with K.
27A. Leisure pursuit
Hint: Think of an activity pursued for enjoyment outside work. Five letters, starts with H.
Down Hints
1D. "60 Minutes" network
Hint: Think of the American television broadcaster identified by an eye emblem. Three letters, starts with C.
2D. Acorn-producing tree
Hint: Its distinctive nuts wear little caps. Three letters, starts with O.
3D. Leaves unobtrusively
Hint: Think of a phrase for quietly departing without attracting attention. Nine letters, starts with S.
4D. Weather event with lightning, briefly
Hint: Think of a shortened forecast term for a thunder-and-lightning event. Six letters, starts with T.
5D. Start selling shares on the stock market, in Wall St. slang
Hint: Think of a trading-desk phrase for a company making its initial public offering. Five letters, starts with G.
6D. "Shucks!"
Hint: Think of a casual spoken exclamation of disappointment. Five letters, starts with A.
7D. Crystal-filled rock
Hint: An ordinary-looking exterior conceals a sparkling mineral cavity. Five letters, starts with G.
9D. Egyptian snake
Hint: Think of the venomous serpent associated with Cleopatra. Three letters, starts with A.
14D. Agcy. that designates World Heritage Sites
Hint: Think of the United Nations agency devoted to education, science and culture. Six letters, starts with U.
15D. "You beat me!"
Hint: Rephrase the concession from the defeated participant's perspective. Five letters, starts with I.
17D. Criticism
Hint: Think of the verbal fire someone catches for an unpopular decision. Four letters, starts with F.
18D. Festive party
Hint: Think of an informal term for a lively celebration. Four letters, starts with B.
21D. Chicago O'Hare or Philadelphia International, for American Airlines
Hint: Think of an airport serving as a central connection point for an airline. Three letters, starts with H.
22D. ___ and flow
Hint: Think of the tide's retreating phase in a familiar paired expression. Three letters, starts with E.
23D. Remark
Hint: Read the clue as a verb for expressing something aloud. Three letters, starts with S.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. ___-benefit analysis
Answer: COST
5A. Practical joke
Answer: GAG
8A. Wood commonly used for building model airplanes
Answer: BALSA
10A. Be in debt
Answer: OWE
11A. Some variety show pieces [Fox]
Answer: SKITS
12A. "If you ask me ...," in a text
Answer: IMO
13A. Browser irritant [Seal]
Answer: POPUPAD
15A. Tel Aviv's land: Abbr.
Answer: ISR
16A. Zero
Answer: NONE
17A. Cook with blazing alcohol [Sheep]
Answer: FLAMBE
19A. Like a limbo bar at the end of the game
Answer: LOW
20A. Word repeated in a nursery song before "We all fall down"
Answer: ASHES
24A. "Snug ___ bug ..."
Answer: ASA
25A. Diving equipment [Bear]
Answer: SCUBA
26A. Answer sheet
Answer: KEY
27A. Leisure pursuit
Answer: HOBBY
Down Answers
1D. "60 Minutes" network
Answer: CBS
2D. Acorn-producing tree
Answer: OAK
3D. Leaves unobtrusively
Answer: SLIPSAWAY
4D. Weather event with lightning, briefly
Answer: TSTORM
5D. Start selling shares on the stock market, in Wall St. slang
Answer: GOIPO
6D. "Shucks!"
Answer: AWMAN
7D. Crystal-filled rock
Answer: GEODE
9D. Egyptian snake
Answer: ASP
14D. Agcy. that designates World Heritage Sites
Answer: UNESCO
15D. "You beat me!"
Answer: ILOSE
17D. Criticism
Answer: FLAK
18D. Festive party
Answer: BASH
21D. Chicago O'Hare or Philadelphia International, for American Airlines
Answer: HUB
22D. ___ and flow
Answer: EBB
23D. Remark
Answer: SAY
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 17A, "Cook with blazing alcohol [Sheep]," gives FLAMBE, with LAMB tucked inside the cooking term. It neatly joins a precise definition to the animal tag, making the grid's hidden-young-animal device easy to appreciate.
Wordplay Winner: 11A earns the wordplay nod with SKITS, which answers the variety-show definition while hiding KITS, young foxes. The bracketed animal redirects your attention from the whole answer to a word concealed inside it.
Quick Fill: 2D's OAK is the fastest confident fill because the acorn clue is so direct. It anchors the upper-left corner through its crossings with COST at 1A, BALSA at 8A and SKITS at 11A.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Solve the ordinary definition before interpreting a bracketed tag. SKITS, POPUPAD, FLAMBE and SCUBA all stand on their own as answers, then reveal KITS, PUP, LAMB and CUB as a useful confirmation.
Let wording cues determine the answer's register before you commit. "Briefly" at 4D signals TSTORM, while "in Wall St. slang" at 5D points to GO IPO rather than a formal description.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The direct clues provide footholds, while the animal tags reward a closer look at completed answers. FLAMBE delivers the nicest finishing touch, with a young sheep hiding inside a fiery cooking technique.
See you at the next grid.
