Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Saturday's grid brings a satisfying mix of pop culture nods, wordplay that rewards lateral thinking, and a few answers that'll make you grin when they click. 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: 11x11
Total Clues: 53 (35 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Yankovic?" A play on "Weird Al" Yankovic's musical parody style that doubles as a pun on his last name.
Gimme Clue: "Use your eyes" About as straightforward as crossword cluing gets.
Theme Spotted: "You Can Call Me..."
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Loops in on an email
Hint: Three letters. The abbreviation for copying someone on a message.
4. Marvel hero played by Paul Rudd
Hint: Six letters. The size-changing Avenger from the Quantum Realm.
10. ___ is where the heart is
Hint: Four letters. The saying begins with this word, and it's where you live.
12. "Thanks," in Hawaii
Hint: Six letters. A Hawaiian word of gratitude that also means "love."
13. "[Deep sigh] ... Sadly, you're correct"
Hint: Eleven letters. A reluctant admission of defeat, starting with "I."
15. TikTok content
Hint: Six letters. Short-form clips that scroll endlessly.
16. Titular heroine of Green Gables
Hint: Four letters. The red-headed orphan from Prince Edward Island.
17. Figure often depicted with a harp
Hint: Five letters. A celestial being with wings.
18. Does' dates
Hint: Five letters. Male deer, plural. The social events they attend.
19. Use your eyes
Hint: Three letters. What your eyes do.
20. Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant
Hint: Four letters. The lab assistant, not the monster.
22. Yankovic?
Hint: Nine letters. Think "Weird Al" and the genre he's famous for.
27. Dessert made with crushed Oreos and gummy worms
Hint: Eight letters. A Halloween-themed treat that looks like... soil.
28. Word before terror or failure
Hint: Six letters. Means "utter" or "complete." Starts with A.
31. Continent that's the birthplace of all the world's major religions
Hint: Four letters. The largest continent, home to the Middle East and South Asia.
32. Money, informally
Hint: Six letters. Slang for cash, rhymes with "cool-a."
33. Response to "Shall we?"
Hint: Four letters. An affirmative, starts with L.
34. Committee
Hint: Five letters. A group of experts assembled for discussion.
35. Watched a cat or a kid
Hint: Three letters. Past tense of "sit." Also an abbreviation for Saturday.
Down Hints
1. ___ Regal (Scotch brand)
Hint: Six letters. A blended Scotch whisky, starts with C.
2. Trig function
Hint: Six letters. The adjacent-over-hypotenuse ratio.
3. Results from mascara mishaps, perhaps
Hint: Seven letters. Smears or streaks on your face.
4. "Famous" cookie name
Hint: Four letters. The cookie brand with the red, white, and blue packaging.
5. Rapper Lil ___ X
Hint: Three letters. The "Industry Baby" rapper whose name starts with N.
6. Pacino?
Hint: Eleven letters. Think "The Godfather" actor and the dramatic style he's known for.
7. Heavenly nourishment
Hint: Five letters. Biblical food from heaven, starts with M.
8. Go ___ for the ride
Hint: Five letters. Means "accompany" or "join."
9. Components in a musical scale
Hint: Five letters. Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do.
11. Fencing sword
Hint: Four letters. A lightweight thrusting sword with a triangular blade.
14. Gore?
Hint: Ten letters. Think Al Gore and the world of campaigns and government.
18. Spreadsheet function that might be used with "Filter"
Hint: Four letters. Arranges data alphabetically or numerically.
21. Waist measurement
Hint: Five letters. The circumference around your middle.
23. Musician with albums "19," "21," "25" and "30"
Hint: Five letters. British singer known for "Rolling in the Deep."
24. Detective's load
Hint: Five letters. The files and mysteries a detective works on.
25. Furry dog breed with a statue in Tokyo's Shibuya Station
Hint: Five letters. A Japanese spitz breed, famous for the loyal dog Hachiko.
26. Last but not ___
Hint: Five letters. The antonym of "first" or "most."
28. Guitar plug-in
Hint: Three letters. Short for amplifier.
29. Amazon snake
Hint: Three letters. A large constrictor that's also a scarf style.
30. Hamm of "Mad Men"
Hint: Three letters. The actor who played Don Draper.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Loops in on an email
Answer: CCS
4. Marvel hero played by Paul Rudd
Answer: ANTMAN
10. ___ is where the heart is
Answer: HOME
12. "Thanks," in Hawaii
Answer: MAHALO
13. "[Deep sigh] ... Sadly, you're correct"
Answer: ISUPPOSENOT
15. TikTok content
Answer: VIDEOS
16. Titular heroine of Green Gables
Answer: ANNE
17. Figure often depicted with a harp
Answer: ANGEL
18. Does' dates
Answer: STAGS
19. Use your eyes
Answer: SEE
20. Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant
Answer: IGOR
22. Yankovic?
Answer: SATIRICAL
27. Dessert made with crushed Oreos and gummy worms
Answer: DIRTCAKE
28. Word before terror or failure
Answer: ABJECT
31. Continent that's the birthplace of all the world's major religions
Answer: ASIA
32. Money, informally
Answer: MOOLAH
33. Response to "Shall we?"
Answer: LETS
34. Committee
Answer: PANEL
35. Watched a cat or a kid
Answer: SAT
Down Answers
1. ___ Regal (Scotch brand)
Answer: CHIVAS
2. Trig function
Answer: COSINE
3. Results from mascara mishaps, perhaps
Answer: SMUDGES
4. "Famous" cookie name
Answer: AMOS
5. Rapper Lil ___ X
Answer: NAS
6. Pacino?
Answer: THEATRICAL
7. Heavenly nourishment
Answer: MANNA
8. Go ___ for the ride
Answer: ALONG
9. Components in a musical scale
Answer: NOTES
11. Fencing sword
Answer: EPEE
14. Gore?
Answer: POLITICAL
18. Spreadsheet function that might be used with "Filter"
Answer: SORT
21. Waist measurement
Answer: GIRTH
23. Musician with albums "19," "21," "25" and "30"
Answer: ADELE
24. Detective's load
Answer: CASES
25. Furry dog breed with a statue in Tokyo's Shibuya Station
Answer: AKITA
26. Last but not ___
Answer: LEAST
28. Guitar plug-in
Answer: AMP
29. Amazon snake
Answer: BOA
30. Hamm of "Mad Men"
Answer: JON
Grid Breakdown
Standout Clue: 22A "Yankovic?" for SATIRICAL. The clue works on two levels: "Weird Al" Yankovic is a musical satirist, and the question mark signals playful wordplay. It's the kind of meta-clue that makes Saturday puzzles worth the effort.
Wordplay Winner: 6D "Pacino?" for THEATRICAL. Another question-mark clue that uses the actor's famously dramatic acting style as a pun on his last name. The symmetry with 22A (both are surname-based question-mark clues) is a nice bonus.
Quick Fill: 19A "Use your eyes" for SEE. Three letters, zero ambiguity. The perfect confidence booster early in the solve.
Speed Solver Tips
Saturday puzzles reward pattern recognition. The three question-mark clues (Yankovic?, Pacino?, Gore?) are all puns on famous last names. Spot the question mark early and you'll know to look for wordplay, not literal definitions.
Pop culture knowledge pays off today. Between Paul Rudd's Marvel character, Lil Nas X, Adele's age-titled albums, and the TikTok reference, solvers who keep up with entertainment will move faster through the bottom half of the grid.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? With its triple surname-pun clues and pop culture sprawl from Marvel to "Mad Men," every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
