Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Friday's 9x9 grid leans into wordplay with a stack of pop culture references and a satisfying 10-letter payoff. SKEDADDLE, TITFORTAT, and ICECASTLE reward solvers who think in phrases, while a handful of gimmes keep the momentum steady.
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: 9x9
Total Clues: 39 (27 Across, 12 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Stereotypical teller of many groan-inducing jokes" The answer is obvious once you see it, but the phrasing steers solvers toward punchlines rather than the family member.
Gimme Clue: "Book of maps" A five-letter staple that crossword regulars can fill blind.
Theme Spotted: "Keep it on the DL"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Movement-sensing Nintendo console
Hint: Three letters. Think motion controls and a short console name.
4. Make it big in life
Hint: Five letters. A verb phrase meaning to achieve success.
9. Rainbow's shape
Hint: Three letters. A curved geometric shape.
10. Crème de la crème
Hint: Five letters. The best of the best.
11. Get out in a hurry
Hint: Nine letters. Starts with S, ends with E. Think "flee quickly."
13. Something that may turn onto a turnpike
Hint: Three letters. A vehicle.
14. ___ pal (female friend)
Hint: Three letters. A casual term for a woman.
15. Device that uses an Apple Pencil
Hint: Four letters. Apple's tablet.
17. Total pigsty
Hint: Four letters. A state of disorder.
18. Surgical areas, for short
Hint: Three letters. Operating room abbreviation.
19. Animal hanging in a cave
Hint: Three letters. A flying mammal.
20. Petty way to respond to insults
Hint: Eight letters. A phrase meaning retaliation in kind.
24. Roy Scheider's "You're gonna need a bigger boat" in "Jaws," e.g.
Hint: Five letters. An unscripted line.
25. Have bills to pay
Hint: Three letters. Be indebted.
26. Crystal ball gazers
Hint: Five letters. Fortune tellers.
27. Affirmative vote
Hint: Three letters. The opposite of "nay."
Down Hints
1. "That ___ a close one!"
Hint: Three letters. Past tense of "to be."
2. Rub the wrong way
Hint: Three letters. To annoy or irritate.
3. Showy-but-nonpermanent winter structure
Hint: Nine letters. A frozen palace.
4. Park, neutral or reverse
Hint: Four letters. A transmission setting.
5. Word before "Faithful," "flame" or "fashioned"
Hint: Three letters. A word meaning "former" or "aged."
6. Handheld object used to relieve stress
Hint: Nine letters. A small sensory toy.
7. Book of maps
Hint: Five letters. Starts with A.
8. Pulls (in), as a fish
Hint: Five letters. A fishing verb.
12. Stereotypical teller of many groan-inducing jokes
Hint: Three letters. A family member known for bad humor.
15. Minuscule amounts
Hint: Five letters. Tiny bits.
16. LGBTQ+ celebration, affectionately
Hint: Five letters. A June celebration.
17. Month when National Reading Month is celebrated: Abbr.
Hint: Three letters. The third month of the year.
19. Short hairstyles
Hint: Four letters. A type of haircut.
21. Douglas ___
Hint: Three letters. A type of evergreen tree.
22. Leave speechless
Hint: Three letters. To inspire wonder.
23. Gossip that's "spilled"
Hint: Three letters. Hot beverage or drama.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Movement-sensing Nintendo console
Answer: WII
4. Make it big in life
Answer: GOFAR
9. Rainbow's shape
Answer: ARC
10. Crème de la crème
Answer: ELITE
11. Get out in a hurry
Answer: SKEDADDLE
13. Something that may turn onto a turnpike
Answer: CAR
14. ___ pal (female friend)
Answer: GAL
15. Device that uses an Apple Pencil
Answer: IPAD
17. Total pigsty
Answer: MESS
18. Surgical areas, for short
Answer: ORS
19. Animal hanging in a cave
Answer: BAT
20. Petty way to respond to insults
Answer: TITFORTAT
24. Roy Scheider's "You're gonna need a bigger boat" in "Jaws," e.g.
Answer: ADLIB
25. Have bills to pay
Answer: OWE
26. Crystal ball gazers
Answer: SEERS
27. Affirmative vote
Answer: YEA
Down Answers
1. "That ___ a close one!"
Answer: WAS
2. Rub the wrong way
Answer: IRK
3. Showy-but-nonpermanent winter structure
Answer: ICECASTLE
4. Park, neutral or reverse
Answer: GEAR
5. Word before "Faithful," "flame" or "fashioned"
Answer: OLD
6. Handheld object used to relieve stress
Answer: FIDGETTOY
7. Book of maps
Answer: ATLAS
8. Pulls (in), as a fish
Answer: REELS
12. Stereotypical teller of many groan-inducing jokes
Answer: DAD
15. Minuscule amounts
Answer: IOTAS
16. LGBTQ+ celebration, affectionately
Answer: PRIDE
17. Month when National Reading Month is celebrated: Abbr.
Answer: MAR
19. Short hairstyles
Answer: BOBS
21. Douglas ___
Answer: FIR
22. Leave speechless
Answer: AWE
23. Gossip that's "spilled"
Answer: TEA
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Roy Scheider's 'You're gonna need a bigger boat' in 'Jaws,' e.g." for ADLIB. The clue teaches solvers that movie trivia and crossword construction overlap. Scheider improvised that line, making it one of cinema's most famous ad-libs.
Wordplay Winner: "Petty way to respond to insults" for TITFORTAT. The eight-letter phrase carries a satisfying alliteration and a clear meaning: returning the same treatment. It sits well as a long across entry that rewards pattern solvers.
Quick Fill: "Book of maps" for ATLAS. A crossword staple that gives solvers an instant foothold in the down stack.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Friday grids lean into longer phrase-based answers. SKEDADDLE, TITFORTAT, ICECASTLE, and FIDGETTOY all run 8-10 letters. When you see a long blank row, think compound words or idiomatic phrases before individual words.
Pop culture knowledge pays off. Today's puzzle expects familiarity with Nintendo's WII, Apple's IPAD, Paul Mescal (wait, that's not here... but ADLIB from Jaws is), and the Pride celebration. When a clue references a specific movie, song, or console, trust your cultural memory and fill without hesitation.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? Between the 10-letter SKEDADDLE sprint, the Jaws trivia in ADLIB, and the PRIDE clue landing during June, Friday's puzzle offered a solid midweek challenge without overreaching. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
