Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Sunday's grid leans hard into Father's Day with a trio of groan-worthy dad joke clues that double as the puzzle's theme answers. At 10x9 with 28 total clues, it's a quick solve that rewards pattern recognition and a tolerance for puns.
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: 10x9
Total Clues: 28 (14 Across, 14 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 15D. "The ___ is in the pudding!" The cluing relies on knowing an idiom that modern usage has mostly abbreviated to "the ____ is in the pudding."
Gimme Clue: 1A. Letters on a tombstone. Answer: RIP. Three letters, universally known, and often the first fill in any crossword.
Theme Spotted: "Dad Jokes"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Letters on a tombstone
Hint: Three letters. Think about what you'd see carved in stone marking someone's final rest.
4. Feathery wrap
Hint: A fashion accessory that sounds like a snake. Three letters.
7. Really awesome, informally
Hint: Slang for something legendary or huge. Starts with E, four letters.
9. Guided museum visits
Hint: Groups led by docents through galleries. Five letters, starts with T.
11. Q: What is Dad's favorite magazine? A: ___
Hint: It's a pun on "father" and "time." One word, nine letters.
13. Sports journalist Chambers
Hint: An ESPN personality known for her NFL and NBA coverage. Three letters.
14. Scribble
Hint: Quick, messy writing. Three letters.
15. Q: What is Dad's nickname when he's investing like a pessimist? A: ___
Hint: A bear market pun. One word, seven letters.
18. Cost an ___ and a leg
Hint: Body part. Completes a common idiom about expense.
19. Instrument that sounds like a Fifth Avenue retailer
Hint: A brass instrument. Think luxury department store name, then a musical homophone.
20. Q: What is Dad's lab dish sample called? A: ___
Hint: A pun on "pop" (dad) and a scientific growth medium. One word, 10 letters.
25. Arctic
Hint: Related to the North Pole. Five letters, starts with P.
26. Finished
Hint: Done, completed, through. Four letters.
27. Lavish party
Hint: A fancy celebration, often outdoors. Four letters, starts with F.
28. What magma turns into above the earth's surface
Hint: Volcanic rock in liquid form. Four letters.
Down Hints
1. Certain court official
Hint: Short for referee. Three letters.
2. Many a craft beer, for short
Hint: A beer style abbreviation. Three letters, starts with I.
3. Avocado discard
Hint: The large seed you throw away. Three letters.
4. Nonhuman social media follower
Hint: Automated accounts. Three letters.
5. Kind of board for a mystic
Hint: A talking board used for séances. Five letters, starts with O.
6. Knight's garb
Hint: Metal protective clothing. Five letters.
8. Bloke
Hint: British slang for a guy. Four letters.
9. ___ Council
Hint: A governing body of an Indigenous group. Six letters, starts with T.
10. Theater backdrop
Hint: The stage scenery. Three letters.
12. Smudge on a non-digital crossword, perhaps
Hint: What happens when you erase incorrectly. Seven letters.
15. "The ___ is in the pudding!"
Hint: A shortened version of a proverb about evidence. Five letters.
16. More than enough
Hint: Plentiful. Five letters, starts with A.
17. Sing the praises of
Hint: To praise highly. Five letters, starts with E.
18. TikTok or Temu, e.g.
Hint: Short for application. Three letters.
21. Pet that may play with a stuffed mouse
Hint: A common house pet. Three letters.
22. Charlottesville sch.
Hint: A Virginia university. Three letters.
23. Gun, as an engine
Hint: To accelerate quickly. Three letters.
24. Dot-com ___
Hint: A historical period. Three letters.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Letters on a tombstone
Answer: RIP
4. Feathery wrap
Answer: BOA
7. Really awesome, informally
Answer: EPIC
9. Guided museum visits
Answer: TOURS
11. Q: What is Dad's favorite magazine? A: ___
Answer: FATHERTIME
13. Sports journalist Chambers
Answer: ARI
14. Scribble
Answer: JOT
15. Q: What is Dad's nickname when he's investing like a pessimist? A: ___
Answer: PAPABEAR
18. Cost an ___ and a leg
Answer: ARM
19. Instrument that sounds like a Fifth Avenue retailer
Answer: SAX
20. Q: What is Dad's lab dish sample called? A: ___
Answer: POPCULTURE
25. Arctic
Answer: POLAR
26. Finished
Answer: OVER
27. Lavish party
Answer: FETE
28. What magma turns into above the earth's surface
Answer: LAVA
Down Answers
1. Certain court official
Answer: REF
2. Many a craft beer, for short
Answer: IPA
3. Avocado discard
Answer: PIT
4. Nonhuman social media follower
Answer: BOT
5. Kind of board for a mystic
Answer: OUIJA
6. Knight's garb
Answer: ARMOR
8. Bloke
Answer: CHAP
9. ___ Council
Answer: TRIBAL
10. Theater backdrop
Answer: SET
12. Smudge on a non-digital crossword, perhaps
Answer: ERASURE
15. "The ___ is in the pudding!"
Answer: PROOF
16. More than enough
Answer: AMPLE
17. Sing the praises of
Answer: EXTOL
18. TikTok or Temu, e.g.
Answer: APP
21. Pet that may play with a stuffed mouse
Answer: CAT
22. Charlottesville sch.
Answer: UVA
23. Gun, as an engine
Answer: REV
24. Dot-com ___
Answer: ERA
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 19A. Instrument that sounds like a Fifth Avenue retailer for SAX. The clue asks solvers to hear "Saks" (the department store) as "sax" (the saxophone). It's clean, clever, and rewards sounding words out loud.
Wordplay Winner: 11A. Q: What is Dad's favorite magazine? A: FATHERTIME. The pun works on two levels: "father time" as a concept, and "Father Time" as a magazine title. The clue format (Q&A) signals it's a joke, which helps solvers shift into pun mode.
Quick Fill: 1A. Letters on a tombstone for RIP. It's the most common three-letter crossword staple alongside ERA and ARE. Every solver will get this immediately and use it to anchor the top-left corner.
Speed Solver Tips
Spotting the theme early saves time. Today's three Q&A clues (11A, 15A, 20A) are flagged by the "Q: ... A: ___" format. If you recognize the pattern in the first one, you'll know to expect dad-joke logic for the other two, which narrows your search space considerably.
The grid also leans on short, common crossword fill (RIP, BOA, ARM, JOT, APP, CAT, REV, ERA). When you're stuck on a longer answer, fill in the three-letter gimmes first. They act as guardrails for the theme answers and make the puns easier to reverse-engineer from their cross letters.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The dad joke theme gave the Sunday puzzle character without making it harder. Every solve sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
