Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Saturday's 11x11 grid delivers clever insect-themed wordplay alongside pop culture references.
The puzzle balances quick fill-in-the-blanks with punny clues that transform common bugs into metaphorical terms.
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: 11x11
Total Clues: 35 (19 Across, 16 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Youngest-ever FIFA World Cup winner (17 years, 249 days)"
Gimme Clue: "OMG, stop oversharing!"
Theme Spotted: Work Out The Bugs
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. "OMG, stop oversharing!"
Hint: Three-letter internet acronym for too much information
4A. Rough, as sandpaper
Hint: Opposite of fine, six letters
10A. Place to do laps
Hint: Swimming location, four letters
11A. Become less harsh
Hint: Two-word phrase meaning to relax restrictions, starts with E
12A. Ants?
Hint: Two-word phrase describing hard workers, starts with H
14A. Pre-glow-up persona, with "the"
Hint: Two-word phrase about one's former self, starts with O
15A. "One Battle After Another" star, familiarly
Hint: Three-letter nickname for a famous actor
16A. Rita , co-star in the "Fifty Shades" movies
Hint: Three-letter actress surname
18A. Horse rider's strap
Hint: Four-letter word for control equipment
19A. Bees?
Hint: Two-word phrase about collective intelligence, starts with H
22A. Youngest-ever FIFA World Cup winner (17 years, 249 days)
Hint: Four-letter Brazilian soccer legend
23A. Useful connections
Hint: Three-letter abbreviation for advantages
24A. " rise" (court order)
Hint: Three-letter word meaning everyone
25A. Santa , Calif.
Hint: Three-letter California city name
26A. Someone posing for pictures on the red carpet, for short
Hint: Three-letter abbreviation for very important person
29A. Spiders?
Hint: Two-word phrase about internet tools, starts with W
32A. Move under the cover of darkness, perhaps
Hint: Five-letter word meaning to creep
33A. Ethereal presences
Hint: Five-letter word for spiritual energy fields
34A. Places to get $10s and $20s, for short
Hint: Four-letter abbreviation for cash machines
35A. Ingredient needed for kombucha fermentation
Hint: Five-letter microorganism used in baking and brewing
Down Hints
1D. Work like a dog
Hint: Four-letter word meaning to labor hard
2D. Growth in old yogurt
Hint: Four-letter word for fungus
3D. "Let me get out of your way"
Hint: Three-word phrase starting with I'LL
4D. Company's head, in brief
Hint: Three-letter abbreviation for chief executive officer
5D. Rowboat stick
Hint: Three-letter word for paddle
6D. " and ye shall receive"
Hint: Three-letter word meaning to request
7D. Brought (in), as a big fish
Hint: Six-letter word meaning caught with a fishing rod
8D. "You're totally right about that!"
Hint: Two-word phrase of agreement, starts with SURE
9D. Big name in printing
Hint: Five-letter company name
10D. Vietnamese comfort food
Hint: Three-letter noodle soup
13D. "Now, where we?"
Hint: Four-letter past tense of "are"
17D. Kind of protein-building acid
Hint: Five-letter word describing essential acids
18D. I.C.U. workers, for short
Hint: Three-letter abbreviation for registered nurses
19D. Gold rush city that became Montana's capital
Hint: Six-letter city name
20D. "Uh-huh, suuuure you did"
Hint: Three-word skeptical phrase starting with I'LL
21D. Kind of
Hint: Three-word phrase meaning in some respects
22D. Furry feet
Hint: Four-letter word for animal paws
25D. Ships like Noah's
Hint: Four-letter word for biblical vessels
26D. Fashion icon Wang
Hint: Four-letter first name of a designer
27D. Some savings accounts, for short
Hint: Four-letter abbreviation for retirement accounts
28D. [Hey, over here!]
Hint: Four-letter sound to get attention
30D. "Pow!"
Hint: Three-letter onomatopoeia for impact
31D. Take to court
Hint: Three-letter word meaning to file a lawsuit
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1A. "OMG, stop oversharing!"
Answer: TMI
4A. Rough, as sandpaper
Answer: COARSE
10A. Place to do laps
Answer: POOL
11A. Become less harsh
Answer: EASE UP
12A. Ants?
Answer: HILL WORKERS
14A. Pre-glow-up persona, with "the"
Answer: OLD ME
15A. "One Battle After Another" star, familiarly
Answer: LEO
16A. Rita , co-star in the "Fifty Shades" movies
Answer: ORA
18A. Horse rider's strap
Answer: REIN
19A. Bees?
Answer: HIVE MINDS
22A. Youngest-ever FIFA World Cup winner (17 years, 249 days)
Answer: PELE
23A. Useful connections
Answer: INS
24A. " rise" (court order)
Answer: ALL
25A. Santa , Calif.
Answer: ANA
26A. Someone posing for pictures on the red carpet, for short
Answer: VIP
29A. Spiders?
Answer: WEB BROWSERS
32A. Move under the cover of darkness, perhaps
Answer: SNEAK
33A. Ethereal presences
Answer: AURAS
34A. Places to get $10s and $20s, for short
Answer: ATMS
35A. Ingredient needed for kombucha fermentation
Answer: YEAST
Down Answers
1D. Work like a dog
Answer: TOIL
2D. Growth in old yogurt
Answer: MOLD
3D. "Let me get out of your way"
Answer: I'LL MOVE
4D. Company's head, in brief
Answer: CEO
5D. Rowboat stick
Answer: OAR
6D. " and ye shall receive"
Answer: ASK
7D. Brought (in), as a big fish
Answer: REELED
8D. "You're totally right about that!"
Answer: SURE IS
9D. Big name in printing
Answer: EPSON
10D. Vietnamese comfort food
Answer: PHO
13D. "Now, where we?"
Answer: WERE
17D. Kind of protein-building acid
Answer: AMINO
18D. I.C.U. workers, for short
Answer: RNS
19D. Gold rush city that became Montana's capital
Answer: HELENA
20D. "Uh-huh, suuuure you did"
Answer: I'LL BET
21D. Kind of
Answer: IN A WAY
22D. Furry feet
Answer: PAWS
25D. Ships like Noah's
Answer: ARKS
26D. Fashion icon Wang
Answer: VERA
27D. Some savings accounts, for short
Answer: IRAS
28D. [Hey, over here!]
Answer: PSST
30D. "Pow!"
Answer: BAM
31D. Take to court
Answer: SUE
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Youngest-ever FIFA World Cup winner (17 years, 249 days)" for PELE. The clue provides specific age data that tests sports history knowledge beyond casual recognition.
Wordplay Winner: "Spiders?" for WEB BROWSERS. This clue transforms the insect into a computer term through clever association with "web" and "browsers."
Quick Fill: "OMG, stop oversharing!" for TMI. The clue directly references the common internet acronym, making it instantly recognizable to digital natives.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Watch for question marks in clues - they often signal puns or wordplay rather than literal definitions. Today's insect clues (Ants?, Bees?, Spiders?) all follow this pattern.
Short answers (3-4 letters) frequently intersect with longer answers, providing anchor points. Today's TMI, LEO, ORA, and VIP create starting points for the surrounding grid.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The insect puns and pop culture mix created a balanced challenge that rewarded both general knowledge and wordplay recognition.
Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
