Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Saturday's grid packs 33 clues into a 9x10 layout with a clever character-relationship thread running through the Across entries. 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: 9x10
Total Clues: 33 (15 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 4D "Strategy used by Muhammad Ali in Rumble in the Jungle" Requires boxing history knowledge and a specific eight-letter term.
Gimme Clue: 22D "Struggle to put on a shoe while rushing out the door, say" Simple action, three letters, everyday scenario.
Theme Spotted: "Kindred Spirits"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. One navigating a maze, maybe
Hint: Think of a furry test subject. Two words, six letters total.
7A. Go out, as the tide
Hint: Three letters. What the ocean does when it retreats.
10A. "Can I get a volunteer?"
Hint: Six letters. A word that means "any person" in a call for help.
11A. Outback animal that bounces, for short
Hint: Three letters. Shortened version of a marsupial from Down Under.
12A. Wilbur, to Charlotte?
Hint: Six letters. Two words. The pig and the spider were this kind of friends.
13A. "Just ___, baby" (Las Vegas Raiders motto)
Hint: Three letters. What a team does on game day.
14A. "___ is me!"
Hint: Three letters. A Shakespearean exclamation of sorrow.
15A. Chinese dynasty noted for vases
Hint: Four letters. This dynasty gave its name to a famous blue-and-white porcelain style.
16A. Bugs Bunny, to Lola?
Hint: Seven letters, one word. A pun on a rabbit's home plus a rapper's initial.
19A. Fashion house whose name rhymes with "J'adore"
Hint: Four letters. French luxury brand. Think perfume and haute couture.
20A. Dory, to Marlon?
Hint: Ten letters, one word. A fish who swims in the same class as another fish.
26A. Play basketball, slangily
Hint: Four letters. What you do with a ball through a net, informally.
27A. Laundry care instructions
Hint: Five letters. The tag inside your shirt. Starts with L.
28A. Overblown excitement
Hint: Four letters. The buzz before a big release. Starts with H.
29A. Move with stealth
Hint: Five letters. How a cat approaches a mouse. Starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Spot for a little dog to rest, maybe
Hint: Three letters. Where a small pup curls up on its owner.
2D. All over again
Hint: Four letters. Starting fresh. Rhymes with "canoe."
3D. Already
Hint: Five letters, two words. "I've finished ___."
4D. Strategy used by Muhammad Ali in Rumble in the Jungle
Hint: Eight letters, one word. Ali's famous technique of leaning back on the ropes.
5D. Santa ___ winds
Hint: Three letters. Southern California's seasonal gusts.
6D. Contact info abbr.
Hint: Three letters. What you'd find next to a phone number on a business card.
7D. Physicist Schrödinger, creator of Schrödinger's cat thought experiment
Hint: Five letters. The scientist's first name.
8D. Jack-in-the-box onomatopoeia
Hint: Five letters. The sound a spring-loaded toy makes when it pops up.
9D. Smoke shop purchase
Hint: Four letters. A water pipe used for tobacco or herbs.
15D. Disney's King Triton, e.g.
Hint: Six letters. A mythical half-human, half-fish creature. Starts with M.
17D. ___ de Janeiro
Hint: Three letters. Brazilian city famous for its beaches and carnival.
18D. Buns in a basket
Hint: Five letters. Bread rolls served at dinner.
20D. [Don't wake the baby!]
Hint: Three letters. The universal sound of silence.
21D. Flirtatiously shy
Hint: Three letters. Playing hard to get. Starts with C.
22D. Struggle to put on a shoe while rushing out the door, say
Hint: Three letters. A one-legged motion you do when in a hurry.
23D. Prez on the U.S. penny
Hint: Three letters. The 16th president's nickname. Starts with A.
24D. Bigelow product
Hint: Three letters. A hot beverage in a bag.
25D. Antlered animal
Hint: Three letters. A large deer species found in North America and Europe.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. One navigating a maze, maybe
Answer: LABRAT
7A. Go out, as the tide
Answer: EBB
10A. "Can I get a volunteer?"
Answer: ANYONE
11A. Outback animal that bounces, for short
Answer: ROO
12A. Wilbur, to Charlotte?
Answer: PENPAL
13A. "Just ___, baby" (Las Vegas Raiders motto)
Answer: WIN
14A. "___ is me!"
Answer: WOE
15A. Chinese dynasty noted for vases
Answer: MING
16A. Bugs Bunny, to Lola?
Answer: WARRENG
19A. Fashion house whose name rhymes with "J'adore"
Answer: DIOR
20A. Dory, to Marlon?
Answer: SCHOOLMATE
26A. Play basketball, slangily
Answer: HOOP
27A. Laundry care instructions
Answer: LABEL
28A. Overblown excitement
Answer: HYPE
29A. Move with stealth
Answer: SNEAK
Down Answers
1D. Spot for a little dog to rest, maybe
Answer: LAP
2D. All over again
Answer: ANEW
3D. Already
Answer: BYNOW
4D. Strategy used by Muhammad Ali in Rumble in the Jungle
Answer: ROPEADOPE
5D. Santa ___ winds
Answer: ANA
6D. Contact info abbr.
Answer: TEL
7D. Physicist Schrödinger, creator of Schrödinger's cat thought experiment
Answer: ERWIN
8D. Jack-in-the-box onomatopoeia
Answer: BOING
9D. Smoke shop purchase
Answer: BONG
15D. Disney's King Triton, e.g.
Answer: MERMAN
17D. ___ de Janeiro
Answer: RIO
18D. Buns in a basket
Answer: ROLLS
20D. [Don't wake the baby!]
Answer: SHH
21D. Flirtatiously shy
Answer: COY
22D. Struggle to put on a shoe while rushing out the door, say
Answer: HOP
23D. Prez on the U.S. penny
Answer: ABE
24D. Bigelow product
Answer: TEA
25D. Antlered animal
Answer: ELK
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 4D "Strategy used by Muhammad Ali in Rumble in the Jungle" for ROPEADOPE. A deep cut from boxing history that rewards solvers who remember Ali's 1974 upset of George Foreman in Zaire. The clue is a pure trivia gatekeeper.
Wordplay Winner: 16A "Bugs Bunny, to Lola?" for WARRENG. The setter layers a rabbit's home ("warren") with rapper Warren G's initial, all wrapped in a Looney Tunes character question. Three references in seven letters.
Quick Fill: 7A "Go out, as the tide" for EBB. Three letters, common vocabulary, no ambiguity. The kind of clue that gets solvers into the grid fast.
Speed Solver Tips
Look for the character-relationship pattern early. Today's Across entries share a structure: "Person A, to Person B?" where the answer is a noun describing their connection. Spotting this pattern on 12A (PENPAL) primes you for 16A (WARRENG) and 20A (SCHOOLMATE).
Short Down entries are your fastest entry points. 6D (TEL), 22D (HOP), and 24D (TEA) are three-letter gimmes that unlock longer Across answers. Fill the corners first to build momentum before tackling the 8-10 letter entries like ROPEADOPE and SCHOOLMATE.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. Today's grid demanded a mix of boxing history, pop culture literacy, and classic vocabulary skills. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
