Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Monday's 9x9 grid serves up a satisfying mix of pop culture, presidential trivia, and everyday wordplay. 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: 32 (15 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Series with the musical sketch 'I Miss My Ex's Dad,' for short", a niche reference that tests your late-night comedy knowledge.
Gimme Clue: "Cries of pain", three letters, and you've probably muttered one yourself today.
Theme Spotted: "Ozone"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Series with the musical sketch "I Miss My Ex's Dad," for short
Hint: A legendary late-night comedy show. The sketch is a recent viral hit from a weekend staple.
4. Number of consonants in this answer
Hint: Count the consonants in the three-letter answer. The answer is the number itself.
7. Got on one's feet
Hint: Past tense. Think of what you do when the national anthem plays.
9. "That's gotta hurt!"
Hint: A three-letter exclamation, often said after watching someone take a spill.
10. Really eager
Hint: A seven-letter phrase meaning extremely enthusiastic. Think racehorses at the starting gate.
12. Cries of pain
Hint: Three letters. Plural. Starts with O.
13. "Not bad!"
Hint: Four-letter compliment. A single word that means satisfactory or better.
14. Prez who won a Pulitzer for "Profiles in Courage"
Hint: The 35th president. Three letters. A famous set of initials.
15. "Get outta here!"
Hint: A four-letter command you'd give to an unwanted critter.
17. Money-managing exec, for short
Hint: Three-letter acronym. The person who signs the checks at a company.
20. Image-editing software
Hint: Eight letters. Adobe's flagship product that's become a verb.
22. Ducks in a ___
Hint: Three letters. Think of how ducklings follow their mother.
23. Wing-like features of a DeLorean
Hint: Five letters. The DeLorean DMC-12 is famous for these upward-opening panels.
24. Bird with tube-shaped eyes
Hint: Three letters. Nocturnal predator. Can rotate its head almost all the way around.
25. When tripled, an indicator of a person typing
Hint: Three letters. You see this in chat apps when someone is composing a message.
Down Hints
1. Place in the overhead bin
Hint: Four letters. What flight attendants ask you to do with your carry-on before takeoff.
2. Forget-me-___
Hint: Four letters. A small blue flower, or what you write in a yearbook.
3. Parking area
Hint: Three letters. You find these in front of stores and malls.
4. Bull, in Spanish
Hint: Four letters. The animal featured in Spanish bullfighting.
5. Material for a traditional puzzle box
Hint: Four letters. Classic jigsaw puzzles are often made from this natural material.
6. Frequently, poetically
Hint: Three letters. A shorter, old-fashioned way to say "often."
7. HBO rival
Hint: Three letters. A premium cable network, often paired with its sibling network "The Movie Channel."
8. Stuff that may hit the spot for Spot?
Hint: Seven letters. A pet pun. What you'd serve your dog for dinner.
11. Tik___
Hint: Three letters. A wildly popular social media platform known for short-form videos.
14. Write quickly
Hint: Three letters. What you do when scribbling down a phone number.
15. Broadway production
Hint: Four letters. A general term for a theatrical performance.
16. Wolf's cry to the moon
Hint: Four letters. Starts with H. What a werewolf does.
17. When doubled, a kid's onomatopoeia for a train
Hint: Four letters. The sound a toy train makes. "___-___!"
18. Defensive stronghold
Hint: Four letters. A military structure built for protection. Think Old West.
19. Covert ___
Hint: Three letters. Secret military missions. "Black ___."
20. In favor of
Hint: Three letters. The opposite of anti-.
21. Yard covering
Hint: Three letters. Green stuff you mow and water.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Series with the musical sketch "I Miss My Ex's Dad," for short
Answer: SNL
4. Number of consonants in this answer
Answer: TWO
7. Got on one's feet
Answer: STOOD
9. "That's gotta hurt!"
Answer: OOF
10. Really eager
Answer: HOTTOTROT
12. Cries of pain
Answer: OWS
13. "Not bad!"
Answer: GOOD
14. Prez who won a Pulitzer for "Profiles in Courage"
Answer: JFK
15. "Get outta here!"
Answer: SHOO
17. Money-managing exec, for short
Answer: CFO
20. Image-editing software
Answer: PHOTOSHOP
22. Ducks in a ___
Answer: ROW
23. Wing-like features of a DeLorean
Answer: DOORS
24. Bird with tube-shaped eyes
Answer: OWL
25. When tripled, an indicator of a person typing
Answer: DOT
Down Answers
1. Place in the overhead bin
Answer: STOW
2. Forget-me-___
Answer: NOTS
3. Parking area
Answer: LOT
4. Bull, in Spanish
Answer: TORO
5. Material for a traditional puzzle box
Answer: WOOD
6. Frequently, poetically
Answer: OFT
7. HBO rival
Answer: SHO
8. Stuff that may hit the spot for Spot?
Answer: DOGFOOD
11. Tik___
Answer: TOK
14. Write quickly
Answer: JOT
15. Broadway production
Answer: SHOW
16. Wolf's cry to the moon
Answer: HOWL
17. When doubled, a kid's onomatopoeia for a train
Answer: CHOO
18. Defensive stronghold
Answer: FORT
19. Covert ___
Answer: OPS
20. In favor of
Answer: PRO
21. Yard covering
Answer: SOD
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Number of consonants in this answer" for TWO. A self-referential meta-clue that requires you to solve it by counting the consonants in the answer itself. It's TWO (T and W are consonants, O is a vowel), and the clue loops back on itself in a satisfying way.
Wordplay Winner: "Stuff that may hit the spot for Spot?" for DOGFOOD. The capitalized "Spot" is the giveaway that we're talking about a dog's name, and "hit the spot" is a playful misdirection for satisfying a pet's hunger. Clean, clever, and all in eight squares.
Quick Fill: "Cries of pain" for OWS. Three letters, starts with O, and anyone who's stubbed a toe knows this one instantly. A perfect gimme to get momentum going.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for self-referential clues like 4A. When a clue describes the answer's own properties, treat it as a logic puzzle within the crossword. Count letters, vowels, consonants -- the answer is baked into the question.
Short fill across the top third of this grid (SNL, TWO, STOOD, OOF) makes for fast starts. If you know your pop culture and common interjections, you can lock in four answers before the puzzle even gets challenging. Build momentum in the easy zones before tackling the longer entries.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? Whether you breezed through the 1A SNL reference or got hung up on 10A's HOTTOTROT, every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
