Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Monday's grid brings a clean 9x9 mix of wordplay and trivia that lands firmly in accessible territory. With chess, Greek mythology, and a Snoopy reference in the mix, this puzzle rewards general knowledge without demanding deep cuts.
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: 29 (13 Across, 16 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "The Red Baron, to Snoopy", a pronoun-heavy clue that expects you to know Peanuts lore and parse the bracket numbers
Gimme Clue: "Mount Olympus resident", if you know your Greek mythology, this is a one-second fill
Theme Spotted: "True to the Letter(s)"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Rook-ie activity?
Hint: Think chess pieces and new players. The clue is a pun on "rookie" and a specific chess piece.
6A. Baby bear
Hint: Three letters. A young bear. Think animal offspring names.
9A. Really, really want
Hint: Five letters. Strong desire. Starts with C.
10A. Commercial ending with Gator or Power
Hint: A drink suffix. Think sports beverages. Three letters.
11A. Like some run-down motels and everything bagels [3, 4]
Hint: The bracket tells you it's two words. Think "a bit shady" or "questionable quality."
12A. Mount Olympus resident
Hint: Three letters. A divine being from Greek mythology.
13A. Figures often depicted with green skin and antennae
Hint: Six letters. Visitors from outer space.
15A. The Red Baron, to Snoopy [14, 13, 15]
Hint: The bracket numbers correspond to grid positions. Snoopy imagined himself as a WWI flying ace. What was his relationship to the Red Baron?
16A. Spill the tea
Hint: Six letters. Modern slang for sharing juicy details or gossip.
18A. Photo ___
Hint: Three letters. A common suffix for photography-related terms.
19A. Adorable one [17, 20]
Hint: Five letters. A term of endearment. The bracket numbers are grid references, not part of the answer.
23A. Word repeated before "black sheep," in a children's song
Hint: Three letters. The sound a sheep makes. Sung twice before "black sheep."
24A. Give a speech
Hint: Five letters. To address an audience formally. Starts with O.
25A. Like a mischievous look
Hint: Three letters. A sneaky or cunning expression.
26A. Country on one side of Mount Everest
Hint: Five letters. Himalayan nation. Home to Mount Everest's southern approach.
Down Hints
1D. Includes on an email
Hint: Three letters. The abbreviation for carbon copy. What you do to add someone to a thread.
2D. Weeding tool
Hint: Three letters. A garden tool with a long handle and a flat blade.
3D. ___ Hewson, "Disclosure Day" actress
Hint: Three letters. A short first name. The actress shares her name with the first woman.
4D. Corollas and Civics
Hint: Six letters. A category of cars. Four doors, a trunk, and seats for five.
5D. Fashion trendsetter
Hint: Two words, 9 letters total. Someone who sets the style agenda. Think influencer before influencers existed.
6D. Evasive [11, 7]
Hint: Five letters. Not straightforward. Guarded or secretive.
7D. Japanese soup noodle
Hint: Four letters. Thick wheat noodle commonly served in broth.
8D. Flower-growing spots
Hint: Four letters. Garden plots. Where you plant annuals and perennials.
14D. Contaminated
Hint: Six letters. Not pure. Tainted or polluted.
15D. Paper [19, 1]
Hint: Five letters. A short written composition. Students write these. The brackets are grid coordinates, not part of the answer.
16D. Tons
Hint: Four letters. A large amount. Informal word for "lots."
17D. Gem with a rainbow iridescence
Hint: Four letters. A precious stone that flashes multiple colors. Starts with O.
20D. Percussive dance form
Hint: Three letters. A style of dance where you make rhythmic sounds with your feet.
21D. Call ___ day
Hint: Three letters (two words, one letter each). An idiom meaning to stop what you're doing and declare it finished.
22D. Fish in a caterpillar roll
Hint: Three letters. A long, snake-like fish. Common in sushi.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Rook-ie activity?
Answer: CHESS
6A. Baby bear
Answer: CUB
9A. Really, really want
Answer: COVET
10A. Commercial ending with Gator or Power
Answer: ADE
11A. Like some run-down motels and everything bagels [3, 4]
Answer: SEEDY
12A. Mount Olympus resident
Answer: GOD
13A. Figures often depicted with green skin and antennae
Answer: ALIENS
15A. The Red Baron, to Snoopy [14, 13, 15]
Answer: ENEMY
16A. Spill the tea
Answer: GOSSIP
18A. Photo ___
Answer: OPS
19A. Adorable one [17, 20]
Answer: CUTIE
23A. Word repeated before "black sheep," in a children's song
Answer: BAA
24A. Give a speech
Answer: ORATE
25A. Like a mischievous look
Answer: SLY
26A. Country on one side of Mount Everest
Answer: NEPAL
Down Answers
1D. Includes on an email
Answer: CCS
2D. Weeding tool
Answer: HOE
3D. ___ Hewson, "Disclosure Day" actress
Answer: EVE
4D. Corollas and Civics
Answer: SEDANS
5D. Fashion trendsetter
Answer: STYLE ICON
6D. Evasive [11, 7]
Answer: CAGEY
7D. Japanese soup noodle
Answer: UDON
8D. Flower-growing spots
Answer: BEDS
14D. Contaminated
Answer: IMPURE
15D. Paper [19, 1]
Answer: ESSAY
16D. Tons
Answer: GOBS
17D. Gem with a rainbow iridescence
Answer: OPAL
20D. Percussive dance form
Answer: TAP
21D. Call ___ day
Answer: IT A
22D. Fish in a caterpillar roll
Answer: EEL
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "The Red Baron, to Snoopy" for ENEMY. The bracket numbers ([14, 13, 15]) look like a word-length hint but are actually grid-position references, a quirk that catches solvers who assume brackets always mean letter counts. The Peanuts lore check is the real gatekeeper here.
Wordplay Winner: "Rook-ie activity?" for CHESS. A double-layer pun that works on both the chess piece (rook) and the homophone "rookie" meaning beginner. Clean, efficient, and the kind of cluing that makes Monday puzzles satisfying.
Quick Fill: "Mount Olympus resident" for GOD. Three letters, common knowledge, and no ambiguity. The kind of gimme that builds momentum early in a solve.
Speed Solver Tips
Look for bracket numbers that are grid coordinates, not word lengths. Today's puzzle uses brackets for position references in 11A, 15A, 19A, 6D, and 15D. If a bracket shows three numbers like [14, 13, 15], it is pointing to squares in the grid, not telling you the answer has 14 letters.
Fill the three-letter gimmes first. CUB, GOD, ADE, SLY, BAA, and OPS are all three-letter entries that intersect with multiple longer answers. Dropping those in early gives you a strong letter foundation for the tougher 5-to-6 letter words.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. Today's grid leaned on pop culture (Peanuts, "spill the tea") and general knowledge (Mount Everest, Greek mythology), a solid Monday warmup. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
