Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Monday's grid brings a clever meta-theme that plays with formatting conventions.
Whether you're looking for a mid-length challenge or warming up for the full-size puzzle, we've got hints and answers to keep you moving.
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: 30 (15 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 21A - Trojan War hero whose name would total 18 points in Scrabble (if it were a legal word)
Gimme Clue: 10A - Pack animal of the Himalayas
Theme Spotted: "GO ON AHEAD"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Probing boxing punch
Hint: Quick, straight punch in boxing
4A. ___ vu (eerily familiar feeling)
Hint: French phrase for "already seen"
8A. Radio journalist Shapiro
Hint: NPR host with three-letter name
9A. GREEN ___ (SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER)
Hint: Military headgear
10A. Pack animal of the Himalayas
Hint: Hairy bovine of high altitudes
11A. Put up with
Hint: Tolerate or endure
12A. ___ BABIES (FAD TOYS IN THE 1990S)
Hint: Collectible stuffed animals with plastic pellets
14A. Sound of a water balloon hitting the ground
Hint: Onomatopoeia for impact sound
15A. What 9- and 12-Across are, collectively (in two ways!)
Hint: Think about how those clues are formatted
19A. April 13th, for one
Hint: Calendar entry
21A. Trojan War hero whose name would total 18 points in Scrabble (if it were a legal word)
Hint: Greek warrior, four letters, starts with A
22A. Sore all over
Hint: Feeling bodily discomfort
23A. Bad things to use as hand towels at a fancy dinner party
Hint: Old, torn pieces of cloth
24A. Clutter
Hint: Disorganized state
25A. Sketched
Hint: Created a drawing
Down Hints
1D. Blue-winged bird
Hint: Corvid family member
2D. Many Omanis and Yemenis
Hint: Ethnic group from the Arabian Peninsula
3D. Trails dedicated to cyclists
Hint: Paved routes for bicycles
4D. Visa or Discover offering
Hint: Payment card that draws from checking account
5D. One of the Great Lakes
Hint: Lake between Ontario and Michigan
6D. "The West Wing" president Bartlet
Hint: President played by Martin Sheen
7D. Had a nosh
Hint: Consumed food informally
9D. Hackneyed
Hint: Overused, clichéd
13D. Back streets
Hint: Narrow urban passages
16D. Slightly open, as a door
Hint: Not fully closed
17D. Contact via a P.A. system, say
Hint: Call someone over intercom
18D. Annual Austin multimedia festival, in brief
Hint: Texas music and tech festival abbreviation
19D. Beaver's construction
Hint: Wood and mud barrier in water
20D. ___ up one's sleeve
Hint: Hidden advantage or secret weapon
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Probing boxing punch
Answer: JAB
4A. ___ vu (eerily familiar feeling)
Answer: DEJA
8A. Radio journalist Shapiro
Answer: ARI
9A. GREEN ___ (SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER)
Answer: BERET
10A. Pack animal of the Himalayas
Answer: YAK
11A. Put up with
Answer: ABIDE
12A. ___ BABIES (FAD TOYS IN THE 1990S)
Answer: BEANIE
14A. Sound of a water balloon hitting the ground
Answer: SPLAT
15A. What 9- and 12-Across are, collectively (in two ways!)
Answer: ALL CAPS
19A. April 13th, for one
Answer: DATE
21A. Trojan War hero whose name would total 18 points in Scrabble (if it were a legal word)
Answer: AJAX
22A. Sore all over
Answer: ACHY
23A. Bad things to use as hand towels at a fancy dinner party
Answer: RAGS
24A. Clutter
Answer: MESS
25A. Sketched
Answer: DREW
Down Answers
1D. Blue-winged bird
Answer: JAY
2D. Many Omanis and Yemenis
Answer: ARABS
3D. Trails dedicated to cyclists
Answer: BIKE PATHS
4D. Visa or Discover offering
Answer: DEBIT CARD
5D. One of the Great Lakes
Answer: ERIE
6D. "The West Wing" president Bartlet
Answer: JED
7D. Had a nosh
Answer: ATE
9D. Hackneyed
Answer: BANAL
13D. Back streets
Answer: ALLEYS
16D. Slightly open, as a door
Answer: AJAR
17D. Contact via a P.A. system, say
Answer: PAGE
18D. Annual Austin multimedia festival, in brief
Answer: SXSW
19D. Beaver's construction
Answer: DAM
20D. ___ up one's sleeve
Answer: ACE
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 15A for ALL CAPS. The clue asks what 9A (GREEN BERET) and 12A (BEANIE BABIES) are collectively "in two ways!" The answer works both as the phrase "all caps" and as a description of how those clues are formatted in the puzzle itself.
Wordplay Winner: 21A for AJAX. The clue combines Greek mythology with Scrabble scoring, noting that AJAX would score 18 points (A=1, J=8, A=1, X=8) if it were a legal Scrabble word.
Quick Fill: 10A for YAK. The Himalayan pack animal is a crossword staple that most solvers will recognize immediately, providing an easy entry point into the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for formatting clues. When clues appear in all caps like 9A and 12A, they might be setting up a meta-theme. Today's puzzle used this formatting as part of the answer to 15A.
Recognize crosswordese. Answers like JAB, DEJA, ARI, YAK, and ERIE appear frequently in puzzles. Building a mental library of these common fill words speeds solving.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you?
The clever formatting theme and Scrabble-scoring mythology clue made this Monday puzzle more engaging than typical warm-up fare. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
