Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Thursday's 11x11 grid carries a submerged water theme that rewards solvers who spot the pattern early.
Between a meta clue pointing to a Kevin Costner vehicle and two nations with rain in their names, this puzzle plays smarter than its mid-length format suggests.
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: 37 (19 Across, 18 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "1995 post-apocalyptic film in which Kevin Costner plays the Mariner ... or an alternative title for this puzzle?" The self-referential framing makes this the puzzle's centerpiece.
Gimme Clue: "Recycling ___" Three letters, zero ambiguity.
Theme Spotted: "Precipitation Nation"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Recycling ___
Hint: Where you toss your empty soda can. Three letters.
4. To a large extent
Hint: Broadly. Six letters, starts with W.
10. Game with Skip cards
Hint: The card game everyone fights over at family gatherings.
11. "I wouldn't do that if I were you"
Hint: That's a ___ (two words, 3 and 4 letters).
12. Not yet known, in brief
Hint: Meeting agenda acronym for unconfirmed items.
13. Like a perfect paradise
Hint: Thomas More coined this term for an ideal society.
14. Optimal course of action
Hint: The smart money's on this. Two words, 4 and 3 letters.
16. When repeated, an expression of disapproval
Hint: The sound of a disappointed tongue click.
17. Salt Lake City's state
Hint: The Beehive State.
18. Awakens
Hint: Rouses from sleep. Six letters.
20. "Bye-bye!," to a Brit
Hint: A British farewell, hyphenated and repeated.
21. Pan for stir-frying
Hint: Round-bottomed cooking vessel from East Asian cuisine.
22. 2026 market event for SpaceX, for short
Hint: Initial Public Offering, abbreviated. This one is happening this year.
24. ___ piece of work
Hint: "You're a ___ piece of work!" Four letters.
28. Clothing fitter
Hint: The person who hems your trousers.
31. "Oh! I almost forgot ..."
Hint: Transition word for adding something to the list.
32. Take off the market, as a defective car
Hint: Automaker's nightmare. Six letters.
33. Wading bird with a curved beak
Hint: Sacred bird in ancient Egypt. Four letters.
34. Removed wrinkles from
Hint: What you do to a dress shirt before work.
35. Intersection point
Hint: A node in a network. Four letters.
36. Places for bullfrogs
Hint: Small bodies of water. Five letters.
37. Female sheep
Hint: Ewes. Four letters, starts with E.
Down Hints
1. Repetitive protest from a child
Hint: "But ___!" Two words, 3 and 3 letters with a comma.
2. Still being tested, as software
Hint: Pre-release phase. Two words, 2 and 4 letters.
3. Acknowledges nonverbally
Hint: Gestures agreement with a head movement. Two words, 4 and 2 letters.
4. 1995 post-apocalyptic film in which Kevin Costner plays the Mariner ... or an alternative title for this puzzle?
Hint: A world made of ... well, you can guess. Nine letters. This clue is telling you something about the whole puzzle.
5. "Same!"
Hint: "Me too!" Four words, each short.
6. Salsa or guacamole
Hint: Party snack. Three letters.
7. Revises, as an article
Hint: What editors do. Five letters.
8. A new ___ on life
Hint: "A new ___ of life." Five letters.
9. Baseball players in the Bronx, informally
Hint: New York's AL team nickname. Five letters.
11. Fella
Hint: Buddy, pal. Three letters, starts with B.
15. Nation with a type of precipitation in its name
Hint: Southeast Asian country. Hidden within its name is "rain."
19. Nation with a type of precipitation in its name
Hint: Eastern European country. Also contains "rain."
23. Extreme points in the Arctic and Antarctic
Hint: The top and bottom of the globe. Five letters.
25. Arm joint
Hint: The hinge between your upper arm and forearm.
26. Detour in a conversation
Hint: Tangential remark. Five letters.
27. Suffers defeat
Hint: The opposite of wins. Five letters.
28. Stumble
Hint: Trip over your own feet. Four letters.
29. Prefix with dynamics
Hint: Relating to air or flight. Four letters.
30. Something clicked on a desktop
Hint: The little picture on your home screen. Four letters.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Recycling ___
Answer: BIN
4. To a large extent
Answer: WIDELY
10. Game with Skip cards
Answer: UNO
11. "I wouldn't do that if I were you"
Answer: BAD IDEA
12. Not yet known, in brief
Answer: TBD
13. Like a perfect paradise
Answer: UTOPIAN
14. Optimal course of action
Answer: BEST BET
16. When repeated, an expression of disapproval
Answer: TSK
17. Salt Lake City's state
Answer: UTAH
18. Awakens
Answer: ROUSES
20. "Bye-bye!," to a Brit
Answer: TA-TA
21. Pan for stir-frying
Answer: WOK
22. 2026 market event for SpaceX, for short
Answer: IPO
24. ___ piece of work
Answer: REAL
28. Clothing fitter
Answer: TAILOR
31. "Oh! I almost forgot ..."
Answer: ALSO
32. Take off the market, as a defective car
Answer: RECALL
33. Wading bird with a curved beak
Answer: IBIS
34. Removed wrinkles from
Answer: IRONED
35. Intersection point
Answer: NODE
36. Places for bullfrogs
Answer: PONDS
37. Female sheep
Answer: EWES
Down Answers
1. Repetitive protest from a child
Answer: BUT, BUT
2. Still being tested, as software
Answer: IN BETA
3. Acknowledges nonverbally
Answer: NODS AT
4. 1995 post-apocalyptic film in which Kevin Costner plays the Mariner ... or an alternative title for this puzzle?
Answer: WATERWORLD
5. "Same!"
Answer: I DO TOO
6. Salsa or guacamole
Answer: DIP
7. Revises, as an article
Answer: EDITS
8. A new ___ on life
Answer: LEASE
9. Baseball players in the Bronx, informally
Answer: YANKS
11. Fella
Answer: BUB
15. Nation with a type of precipitation in its name
Answer: THAILAND
19. Nation with a type of precipitation in its name
Answer: UKRAINE
23. Extreme points in the Arctic and Antarctic
Answer: POLES
25. Arm joint
Answer: ELBOW
26. Detour in a conversation
Answer: ASIDE
27. Suffers defeat
Answer: LOSES
28. Stumble
Answer: TRIP
29. Prefix with dynamics
Answer: AERO
30. Something clicked on a desktop
Answer: ICON
Grid Breakdown
Standout Clue: 4D: "1995 post-apocalyptic film in which Kevin Costner plays the Mariner ... or an alternative title for this puzzle?" for WATERWORLD. The clue doubles as a meta-instruction: the entire grid is submerged in water references. PONDS, DIP, THAILAND (rain), UKRAINE (rain), and WOK (a vessel for liquid) all orbit this central reveal. The self-aware framing is rare for a Midi and elevates the puzzle above a standard Thursday solve.
Wordplay Winner: 15D and 19D: "Nation with a type of precipitation in its name" for THAILAND and UKRAINE. Both countries contain the word "rain" as a hidden substring (THAILAND = "THAI" + "LAND" but contains "RAIN" in the middle; UKRAINE = "UK" + "RAINE" contains "RAIN"). It's the same trick executed twice, and spotting the second one feels like unlocking a bonus achievement.
Quick Fill: 1A: BIN. Three letters, a common noun, and the most straightforward clue on the board. It's the entry point that gives solvers momentum into the rest of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Thursday puzzles often introduce meta themes. If 4D mentions water, scan for answers that share that element. PONDS, DIP, and the two "rain" countries all lock into place once you recognize the pattern.
Watch for repeated clue structures. THAILAND and UKRAINE share identical wording ("Nation with a type of precipitation in its name"), which is the constructor's way of signaling they're related. When you see mirrored phrasing, the answers likely share a hidden word trick.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? If WATERWORLD was your gateway to the water theme, you cracked the puzzle's central mechanic. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
