Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Thursday's grid packs a genetic twist with DNA permutations hiding in circled squares. At 9x9, this puzzle balances pop culture callbacks with a satisfying wordplay conceit that rewards solvers who spot the pattern early.
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: 27 (14 Across, 13 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Backyard projectiles whose sales weren't banned until the late 1980s"
Gimme Clue: "Not so bright"
Theme Spotted: "Genetic Mutation"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Not so bright
Hint: Three letters. Opposite of bright, in both intelligence and light.
4. Snatch
Hint: Three letters. A quick grab, or a slang term for stealing.
7. Orangutans and gibbons
Hint: Four letters. These primates are our closest living relatives.
9. A long time ___
Hint: Three letters. Completes a phrase about the distant past.
10. "Really, ya think?!"
Hint: Five letters. Sarcastic way of saying "obviously."
12. Place for an after-dinner nap, perhaps
Hint: Three letters. A cozy room, often with a TV.
13. Appointing
Hint: Six letters. Choosing someone for a role or position.
15. Backyard projectiles whose sales weren't banned until the late 1980s
Hint: Eight letters. Two words. Sharp, dangerous lawn game equipment.
18. Apt rhyme for "appoint"
Hint: Six letters. A ceremonial blessing or coronation.
19. Crowd response at a rally to "When do we want it?"
Hint: Three letters. The impatient answer to a chant.
20. Circus structures
Hint: Five letters. Big tops and other temporary shelters.
24. Beats by ___ (headphones brand)
Hint: Three letters. Dr. Dre's last name.
25. ___ up the sun (get a 22-Down)
Hint: Four letters. Lounge in the rays to get some color.
26. Feeling blue
Hint: Three letters. The emotional state, not the color.
27. Double-helix material whose "permutations" are seen in this puzzle's circled letters
Hint: Three letters. The molecule of heredity.
Down Hints
1. Actor Aykroyd
Hint: Three letters. Ghostbusters' original straight man.
2. Stock debut for a company, for short
Hint: Three letters. When a company goes public.
3. Size between large and small: Abbr.
Hint: Three letters. The middle option at most coffee shops.
4. Low point
Hint: Five letters. The bottom, the absolute minimum.
5. Job managing talent
Hint: Five letters. Represents actors or musicians.
6. Hit products?
Hint: Five letters. Smoking accessories, sometimes called water pipes.
8. Largest branch of Islam
Hint: Five letters. Follows the caliphate tradition.
11. "If You ___ Been There" (2025 Dolly Parton tribute song)
Hint: Five letters. Contraction meaning "had not."
14. Aussie buddies
Hint: Five letters. Friends from Down Under.
15. Connects, in a boxing ring
Hint: Five letters. What a punch does when it hits its target.
16. Best Picture winner of the 2025 Oscars
Hint: Five letters. Sean Baker's indie hit about a young sex worker.
17. Really impressed
Hint: Four letters. Blown away, in awe.
21. Acknowledge with a head movement
Hint: Three letters. Up and down, not side to side.
22. See 25-Across
Hint: Three letters. What you get from soaking up the sun.
23. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones music genre
Hint: Three letters. Horn-driven, upbeat punk with a Jamaican influence.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Not so bright
Answer: DIM
4. Snatch
Answer: NAB
7. Orangutans and gibbons
Answer: APES
9. A long time ___
Answer: AGO
10. "Really, ya think?!"
Answer: NODUH
12. Place for an after-dinner nap, perhaps
Answer: DEN
13. Appointing
Answer: NAMING
15. Backyard projectiles whose sales weren't banned until the late 1980s
Answer: LAWNDARTS
18. Apt rhyme for "appoint"
Answer: ANOINT
19. Crowd response at a rally to "When do we want it?"
Answer: NOW
20. Circus structures
Answer: TENTS
24. Beats by ___ (headphones brand)
Answer: DRE
25. ___ up the sun (get a 22-Down)
Answer: SOAK
26. Feeling blue
Answer: SAD
27. Double-helix material whose "permutations" are seen in this puzzle's circled letters
Answer: DNA
Down Answers
1. Actor Aykroyd
Answer: DAN
2. Stock debut for a company, for short
Answer: IPO
3. Size between large and small: Abbr.
Answer: MED
4. Low point
Answer: NADIR
5. Job managing talent
Answer: AGENT
6. Hit products?
Answer: BONGS
8. Largest branch of Islam
Answer: SUNNI
11. "If You ___ Been There" (2025 Dolly Parton tribute song)
Answer: HADNT
14. Aussie buddies
Answer: MATES
15. Connects, in a boxing ring
Answer: LANDS
16. Best Picture winner of the 2025 Oscars
Answer: ANORA
17. Really impressed
Answer: WOWED
21. Acknowledge with a head movement
Answer: NOD
22. See 25-Across
Answer: TAN
23. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones music genre
Answer: SKA
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: "Backyard projectiles whose sales weren't banned until the late 1980s" for LAWNDARTS. This is the kind of trivia-heavy clue that separates casual solvers from crossword veterans. The sport was banned in three states before a 1988 federal ruling ended retail sales, and the eight-letter answer is a tight fit for a 9x9 grid.
Wordplay Winner: "Apt rhyme for 'appoint'" for ANOINT. The clue practically gives itself away if you sound it out, but the elegance of pairing a synonym for "appointing" with a word that rhymes exactly with it makes this a satisfying solve.
Quick Fill: "Not so bright" for DIM. Three letters, straightforward definition, zero ambiguity. The kind of gimme that gets you started and builds momentum into the tougher corners of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Spotting the DNA theme early is your biggest time-saver. The circled letters contain permutations of the three-letter sequence (DAN, AND, NAD), so if you crack 27-Across first, you unlock multiple down entries including 1D (DAN) and partials in 4D (NADIR).
Watch for pop culture clues that reward recent movie knowledge. 16D's "Best Picture winner of the 2025 Oscars" (ANORA) is a fresh reference that rewards solvers who keep up with awards season. When a clue references a specific year, the answer is almost always recent enough to be verifiable.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The DNA theme and the LAWNDARTS trivia make this one worth remembering. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
