Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Thursday's 11x11 grid packs a recurring lightning bolt motif across pop culture, tax forms, and snack breaks. 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: 50 (34 Across, 16 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Low-quality A.I.-created content, colloquially" A modern internet slang term that might trip up traditional solvers.
Gimme Clue: "Parent company of Instagram" If you've touched a phone in the last decade, you know this one.
Theme Spotted: "It's Electric"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Write-___ (some tax breaks)
Hint: Think about what you do with business expenses. Four letters, starts with O.
5. Perched on
Hint: Picture a cat sitting on a fence. Four letters.
9. Golf obstacles around a green
Hint: Sand-filled hazards that punish bad shots. Five letters.
11. Very, very serious
Hint: This word shares its name with a burial site. Five letters.
12. Literary/film character with a (lightning bolt emoji) on his forehead
Hint: The Boy Who Lived. Ten letters, two words.
14. Excellent TV reception?
Hint: The trophy TV awards shows hand out. Seven letters.
15. "Raiders of the Lost ___"
Hint: Indiana Jones's prize. Three letters.
16. Restaurant booking, casually
Hint: Short for reservation. Three letters.
17. Protein-rich cat food ingredient
Hint: Canned fish. Four letters.
19. Beverage with a (lightning bolt emoji) in its logo
Hint: The sports drink that quenches what you've got. Eight letters.
23. Kick one's feet up
Hint: A five-letter word for chilling out.
26. Stash (away)
Hint: What pirates do with treasure. Four letters.
27. Old flames
Hint: Past romantic partners. Four letters.
28. Magazine whose name means "she" in French
Hint: A fashion magazine. Four letters.
29. Rock band with a (lightning bolt emoji) in its logo
Hint: Australian rockers known for "Back in Black." Four letters.
30. D.C. baseball team, informally
Hint: The Nationals' nickname. Four letters.
31. Parent company of Instagram
Hint: Formerly Facebook. Four letters.
32. 'Tude
Hint: Attitude, shortened. Four letters.
33. Low-quality A.I.-created content, colloquially
Hint: A four-letter word that describes messy, low-effort output. Starts with S.
34. Symbol in this puzzle
Hint: The ⚡ that connects four other clues. Four letters.
Down Hints
1. This, that and the ___
Hint: Completes a phrase about everything. Five letters.
2. One of 10 divisions in bowling
Hint: Each game has ten of these. Five letters.
3. Crop-growing areas
Hint: Where farmers plant. Five letters.
4. Agile
Hint: Nimble and quick. Four letters.
5. Class with painting and printing
Hint: A creative subject in school. Three letters.
6. "Toodle-oo!"
Hint: A British-flavored goodbye. Four letters.
7. Finished
Hint: Done, completed. Four letters.
8. Employee benefit
Hint: A nice extra beyond your salary. Four letters.
10. Set of linguistic rules violated by the phrase "books likes she reading"
Hint: How words are arranged in sentences. Six letters.
11. "Heaven forbid!"
Hint: A two-part exclamation. Four letters, one word.
13. Grumpy look
Hint: A facial expression with pushed-out lips. Four letters.
18. Weapons stockpile
Hint: A military cache. Seven letters.
19. Car item unscrewed at the pump
Hint: What you twist off before filling up. Six letters.
20. "Finally!"
Hint: An expression of relief after a long wait. Six letters.
21. Meatheads
Hint: Insults for not-so-bright people. Five letters.
22. Lambs' mothers
Hint: Female sheep. Four letters.
23. 500-sheet stacks
Hint: What you buy for a printer. Five letters.
24. Google Sheets alternative
Hint: Microsoft's spreadsheet software. Five letters.
25. Resulted in
Hint: Caused, led to. Five letters.
32. "___ you're saying there's a chance?"
Hint: A two-letter word that introduces a hypothetical.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. Write-___ (some tax breaks)
Answer: OFFS
5. Perched on
Answer: ATOP
9. Golf obstacles around a green
Answer: TRAPS
11. Very, very serious
Answer: GRAVE
12. Literary/film character with a (lightning bolt emoji) on his forehead
Answer: HARRYPOTTER
14. Excellent TV reception?
Answer: EMMYNOD
15. "Raiders of the Lost ___"
Answer: ARK
16. Restaurant booking, casually
Answer: RES
17. Protein-rich cat food ingredient
Answer: TUNA
19. Beverage with a (lightning bolt emoji) in its logo
Answer: GATORADE
23. Kick one's feet up
Answer: RELAX
26. Stash (away)
Answer: STOW
27. Old flames
Answer: EXES
28. Magazine whose name means "she" in French
Answer: ELLE
29. Rock band with a (lightning bolt emoji) in its logo
Answer: ACDC
30. D.C. baseball team, informally
Answer: NATS
31. Parent company of Instagram
Answer: META
32. 'Tude
Answer: SASS
33. Low-quality A.I.-created content, colloquially
Answer: SLOP
34. Symbol in this puzzle
Answer: BOLT
Down Answers
1. This, that and the ___
Answer: OTHER
2. One of 10 divisions in bowling
Answer: FRAME
3. Crop-growing areas
Answer: FARMS
4. Agile
Answer: SPRY
5. Class with painting and printing
Answer: ART
6. "Toodle-oo!"
Answer: TATA
7. Finished
Answer: OVER
8. Employee benefit
Answer: PERK
10. Set of linguistic rules violated by the phrase "books likes she reading"
Answer: SYNTAX
11. "Heaven forbid!"
Answer: GODNO
13. Grumpy look
Answer: POUT
18. Weapons stockpile
Answer: ARSENAL
19. Car item unscrewed at the pump
Answer: GASCAP
20. "Finally!"
Answer: ATLAST
21. Meatheads
Answer: DOLTS
22. Lambs' mothers
Answer: EWES
23. 500-sheet stacks
Answer: REAMS
24. Google Sheets alternative
Answer: EXCEL
25. Resulted in
Answer: LEDTO
32. "___ you're saying there's a chance?"
Answer: SO
Grid Breakdown
Standout Clue: "Low-quality A.I.-created content, colloquially" for SLOP. This is the freshest entry in the grid. SLOP gained traction in AI discourse circles to describe the flood of low-effort generative content online. It rewards solvers who keep up with tech culture as much as crossword conventions.
Wordplay Winner: "Excellent TV reception?" for EMMYNOD. The question mark signals wordplay. Not about television signal quality, but about the Emmy Awards. A clever misdirection that rewards lateral thinking.
Quick Fill: "Perched on" for ATOP. A four-letter staple that appears in crosswords regularly. Short, common, and immediately recognizable once you have a couple crossing letters.
Speed Solver Tips
Today's puzzle rewards pattern recognition around the lightning bolt theme. If you spot multiple clues with the same emoji, assume they share a connection. BOLT at 34-Across is the payoff answer that ties the theme together. Fill it in and watch the surrounding entries click.
Watch for the modern vocabulary entries. SLOP (33-Across) and META (31-Across) reflect how crosswords have evolved to include internet-era language. If a clue feels too contemporary for a traditional crossword answer, it's probably the right track.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The lightning bolt motif made for a cohesive solve with satisfying reveals. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
