Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Friday's 11x11 grid packs pop culture deep cuts alongside satisfying short fills. Expect a mix of Andrew Garfield-era superhero trivia, 90s hip-hop nostalgia, and enough three-letter gimmes to keep your streak alive.
How The Midi Works
The Midi is the middle ground between the Mini and the classic NYT Crossword, typically featuring an 8x10 or 9x11 grid with 15-20 Across and 15-20 Down clues. It takes about 5-15 minutes to solve, making it perfect for a coffee break or commute. 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: 11x11
Total Clues: 65 (35 Across, 30 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Missy Elliott's debut solo album, 1997" Unless you were spinning "The Rain" on repeat, this one requires a deep 90s memory.
Gimme Clue: "Leg joint" Four letters, one body part, zero ambiguity.
Theme Spotted: "Web Hits"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Performer delivering punch lines
Hint: The stage, a microphone, and a punchline. Five letters.
6. "... or thereabouts"
Hint: Three letters. Think "kind of" but shorter.
9. Genre of The Drifters and The Del-Vikings
Hint: A vocal harmony style from the 1950s and 60s. Six letters, heavy on the O's.
11. Sch. in the Big Apple
Hint: Three letters. A Manhattan university, initials only.
12. With 19-Across, 2012 superhero movie starring Andrew Garfield
Hint: Starts with "THE." Ten letters. The first half of a two-part answer.
14. Unevenly shaped stain
Hint: Seven letters. Think ink spill, not a perfect circle.
15. Approx.
Hint: Three-letter abbreviation. What you write when you're guessing a number.
18. Zodiac sign of someone born in early August
Hint: Three letters. The lion.
19. See 12-Across
Hint: Eight letters. The second half of that 2012 movie title.
23. Military rank derived from the Latin for "small head"
Hint: Five letters. A trainee, not a commander.
24. Person with elitist tastes
Hint: Four letters. Looks down on your movie choices.
26. Palindromic principle
Hint: Five letters. Reads the same forward and backward. Christopher Nolan fans know this one.
28. Leg joint
Hint: Four letters. Connects your thigh to your shin.
30. Missy Elliott's debut solo album, 1997
Hint: Eleven letters. Two words. Starts with "SUPA."
32. Walk heavily
Hint: Four letters. Not a stroll, not a march.
33. Something a pep talk might boost
Hint: Six letters. How the team feels after a good speech.
34. Word in a phrase similar to "blah, blah, blah"
Hint: Four letters. Seinfeld fans know this one. Y___.
35. India has 28 of them (plus eight union territories)
Hint: Six letters. Think U.S. equivalents, but in India.
Down Hints
1. Summer hours in Kansas City, in brief
Hint: Three letters. A time zone abbreviation. Central, but with daylight saving.
2. "That sounds cool!"
Hint: Three letters. An exclamation of delight, starts with O.
3. Three Stooges member with a bowl cut
Hint: Three letters. The one with the distinctive bangs.
4. Aggrieved answer to "You asleep?"
Hint: Four letters. "I ___." Past tense. Implies you just woke them up.
5. Done
Hint: Nine letters. Finished. Complete. Over.
6. "Put a sock ___!" ("Pipe down!")
Hint: Four letters. Two words. "Put a sock ___ ___!"
7. Pair, as two devices
Hint: Four letters. What you do with Bluetooth headphones and your phone.
8. Actor Grant of "Bridget Jones's Diary"
Hint: Four letters. First name only. British actor, starts with H.
10. More pastel-like
Hint: Five letters. Less vibrant. Softer in color.
13. Does a certain video call
Hint: Five letters. The platform that became a verb during the pandemic.
15. Key for exiting full-screen mode
Hint: Three letters. Top-left of your keyboard.
16. Pancake-turning tool
Hint: Seven letters. Flat, wide, in your kitchen drawer.
17. Detergent pouch in a dangerous internet trend
Hint: Seven letters. The challenge that went viral a few years back. Brand name + POD.
20. "Gracias" response
Hint: Six letters. Spanish for "you're welcome."
21. Capital city of Turkey
Hint: Six letters. Not Istanbul. The actual capital.
22. Like some diet-friendly yogurt
Hint: Six letters. Zero percent milk fat.
25. The ___ of the ball
Hint: Five letters. The most attractive woman at the event. Starts with B.
27. Pepto-Bismol alternative
Hint: Four letters. Another pink antacid. Chewable tablets.
29. Zora Neale Hurston's "Their ___ Were Watching God"
Hint: Four letters. The body part that sees.
30. Secret agent
Hint: Three letters. Works undercover. James Bond's job.
31. Weed
Hint: Three letters. The one you smoke, not the one in your garden.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Performer delivering punch lines
Answer: COMIC
6. "... or thereabouts"
Answer: ISH
9. Genre of The Drifters and The Del-Vikings
Answer: DOOWOP
11. Sch. in the Big Apple
Answer: NYU
12. With 19-Across, 2012 superhero movie starring Andrew Garfield
Answer: THEAMAZING
14. Unevenly shaped stain
Answer: SPLOTCH
15. Approx.
Answer: EST
18. Zodiac sign of someone born in early August
Answer: LEO
19. See 12-Across
Answer: SPIDERMAN
23. Military rank derived from the Latin for "small head"
Answer: CADET
24. Person with elitist tastes
Answer: SNOB
26. Palindromic principle
Answer: TENET
28. Leg joint
Answer: KNEE
30. Missy Elliott's debut solo album, 1997
Answer: SUPADUPAFLY
32. Walk heavily
Answer: PLOD
33. Something a pep talk might boost
Answer: MORALE
34. Word in a phrase similar to "blah, blah, blah"
Answer: YADA
35. India has 28 of them (plus eight union territories)
Answer: STATES
Down Answers
1. Summer hours in Kansas City, in brief
Answer: CDT
2. "That sounds cool!"
Answer: OOH
3. Three Stooges member with a bowl cut
Answer: MOE
4. Aggrieved answer to "You asleep?"
Answer: IWAS
5. Done
Answer: COMPLETED
6. "Put a sock ___!" ("Pipe down!")
Answer: INIT
7. Pair, as two devices
Answer: SYNC
8. Actor Grant of "Bridget Jones's Diary"
Answer: HUGH
10. More pastel-like
Answer: PALER
13. Does a certain video call
Answer: ZOOMS
15. Key for exiting full-screen mode
Answer: ESC
16. Pancake-turning tool
Answer: SPATULA
17. Detergent pouch in a dangerous internet trend
Answer: TIDEPOD
20. "Gracias" response
Answer: DENADA
21. Capital city of Turkey
Answer: ANKARA
22. Like some diet-friendly yogurt
Answer: NONFAT
25. The ___ of the ball
Answer: BELLE
27. Pepto-Bismol alternative
Answer: TUMS
29. Zora Neale Hurston's "Their ___ Were Watching God"
Answer: EYES
30. Secret agent
Answer: SPY
31. Weed
Answer: POT
Grid Breakdown
Standout Clue: "Military rank derived from the Latin for 'small head'" for CADET. The etymology (Latin "caput" for head, "capitellum" for small head) turns a straightforward rank into a mini history lesson.
Wordplay Winner: "Palindromic principle" for TENET. The clue hints at the palindrome property, and the answer itself is a palindrome. Christopher Nolan fans get double satisfaction.
Quick Fill: "Leg joint" for KNEE. Four letters, obvious anatomy, and a crucial crossing for surrounding entries.
Speed Solver Tips
Friday's grid rewards pop culture fluency. The Andrew Garfield Spider-Man clue (12-Across and 19-Across) spans two entries, so locking in THEAMAZING early opens SPIDERMAN on the other side. Watch for these split clues -- they're free cross-references.
Short vowel-heavy answers (ISH, OOH, LEO, POT, SPY) cluster in the top-left and bottom-right corners. Fill those in first to expose the longer entries they intersect, especially the 11-letter SUPADUPAFLY.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. Today's grid tested your 90s music recall and superhero movie knowledge, but every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
