Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Monday's grid brings a 9x9 mix of pop culture references, geography, and straightforward fill that hits the sweet spot for a week-opening warmup. 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: 28 (14 Across, 14 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Apple computer once advertised as 'Chic. Not geek'"
Gimme Clue: "Grab a bite" Three letters, zero ambiguity, instant fill.
Theme Spotted: "Cutting Board"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Electronic music instrument, for short
Hint: Think keyboards, not guitars. Five letters, starts with S.
6. Spot-on
Hint: Three letters. If something is perfectly suited, it's this.
9. Capital of Egypt
Hint: Five letters. One of Africa's largest cities, on the Nile.
10. Concert ticket specification
Hint: Three letters. The horizontal line on your ticket stub.
11. Not up to the job
Hint: Nine letters. Starts with I. The opposite of competent.
13. "Barbie" character who says "My job ... it's just beach"
Hint: Three letters. Ryan Gosling played him. The name's also a common abbreviation.
14. Only
Hint: Four letters. Starts with S. Single, unique, exclusive.
15. Fruit that looks like a large lemon
Hint: Six letters. Starts with C. It's green or yellow, bumpy-skinned, and sour.
17. Film, or where you might go to see a film
Hint: Six letters. Starts with C. Both the art form and the venue.
20. Dedicated poem
Hint: Three letters. A lyric poem written to praise someone or something.
21. Put on TV
Hint: Five letters. Past tense. Broadcast.
25. "___ and improved!"
Hint: Three letters. Opposite of old.
26. Guiding principle
Hint: Five letters. Starts with C. A personal motto or belief system.
27. Grab a bite
Hint: Three letters. What you do when you're hungry.
28. Ostrichlike birds
Hint: Four letters. Starts with E. Flightless, fast runners, native to Australia.
Down Hints
1. -fi
Hint: Three letters. Think genre fiction. Spaceships, aliens, time travel.
2. Give a hard pull
Hint: Four letters. Starts with Y. A sharp, forceful tug.
3. "Good stuff"
Hint: Four letters. Starts with N. A word of approval. Also a city in France.
4. Stupor
Hint: Six letters. Starts with T. A dazed, hypnotic state.
5. Move like a bunny
Hint: Three letters. Short, quick jumps.
6. Structure for an outdoor wedding ceremony
Hint: Five letters. Starts with A. A shaded garden structure with climbing plants.
7. Chicken, in Spanish
Hint: Five letters. Starts with P. A popular menu item at Mexican restaurants.
8. 11- or 12-year-old
Hint: Five letters. Starts with T. Not quite a teenager, not quite a child.
12. "Shall We Dance" star Fred
Hint: Seven letters. Starts with A. The gold standard of Hollywood tap dancers.
16. Apple computer once advertised as "Chic. Not geek"
Hint: Four letters. Starts with I. The first Mac that came in colors. 1998.
17. Shape of many a party hat
Hint: Four letters. Starts with C. A geometric solid with a circular base and a point.
18. Creative thought
Hint: Four letters. Starts with I. The spark before the execution.
19. Little salamander
Hint: Four letters. Starts with N. An amphibian that can regrow its limbs.
22. Rock band with the hit "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"
Hint: Three letters. From Athens, Georgia. Initials only.
23. End of a college email address
Hint: Three letters. The domain suffix for most US universities.
24. "___ Oruguitas" ("Encanto" song)
Hint: Three letters. Spanish for "two." The song about Abuela's backstory.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Electronic music instrument, for short
Answer: SYNTH
6. Spot-on
Answer: APT
9. Capital of Egypt
Answer: CAIRO
10. Concert ticket specification
Answer: ROW
11. Not up to the job
Answer: INCAPABLE
13. "Barbie" character who says "My job ... it's just beach"
Answer: KEN
14. Only
Answer: SOLE
15. Fruit that looks like a large lemon
Answer: CITRON
17. Film, or where you might go to see a film
Answer: CINEMA
20. Dedicated poem
Answer: ODE
21. Put on TV
Answer: AIRED
25. "___ and improved!"
Answer: NEW
26. Guiding principle
Answer: CREDO
27. Grab a bite
Answer: EAT
28. Ostrichlike birds
Answer: EMUS
Down Answers
1. -fi
Answer: SCI
2. Give a hard pull
Answer: YANK
3. "Good stuff"
Answer: NICE
4. Stupor
Answer: TRANCE
5. Move like a bunny
Answer: HOP
6. Structure for an outdoor wedding ceremony
Answer: ARBOR
7. Chicken, in Spanish
Answer: POLLO
8. 11- or 12-year-old
Answer: TWEEN
12. "Shall We Dance" star Fred
Answer: ASTAIRE
16. Apple computer once advertised as "Chic. Not geek"
Answer: IMAC
17. Shape of many a party hat
Answer: CONE
18. Creative thought
Answer: IDEA
19. Little salamander
Answer: NEWT
22. Rock band with the hit "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"
Answer: REM
23. End of a college email address
Answer: EDU
24. "___ Oruguitas" ("Encanto" song)
Answer: DOS
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 16D "Apple computer once advertised as 'Chic. Not geek'" for IMAC. The original Bondi Blue iMac was Apple's bet-the-company product in 1998, and the ad campaign that repositioned the brand as approachable and design-forward is a deep cut that rewards vintage tech nostalgia.
Wordplay Winner: 17A "Film, or where you might go to see a film" for CINEMA. A clean double-definition clue where both meanings converge on the same six-letter word. Elegant, fair, and satisfying.
Quick Fill: 27A "Grab a bite" for EAT. Three letters, no tricks, instant momentum builder.
Speed Solver Tips
Monday grids reward pattern recognition over obscure trivia. Start with the three-letter fills (1D SCI, 5D HOP, 27A EAT, 25A NEW) to establish a foundation of crossing letters. Short Across answers like 6A APT and 20A ODE are Monday standards that appear regularly in rotation, learning them as automatic fills will shave seconds off your solve time.
Pop culture clues often carry the most friction in Monday puzzles. The KEN clue (13A) requires familiarity with the 2023 "Barbie" movie, and 24D DOS relies on "Encanto" recall. If a clue feels stuck, jump to the crossings and let the fill reveal the reference.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The SYNTH-to-EMUS diagonal run and the 1998 iMac nostalgia pull give this Monday puzzle more personality than the average easy grid.
Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
