Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Thursday's grid brings a Mother's Day-themed romp through language and pop culture. With six "Mother ___" clues and a generous helping of quick fills, this 9x9 puzzle leans easier than your typical Thursday.
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: 29 (16 Across, 13 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 18A. "Unit that is equivalent to about 4,000 blocks in Minecraft"
Gimme Clue: 12A. "Sound on a dairy farm"
Theme Spotted: "Mother of All Things"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. What a furnace provides
Hint: Think warmth. Four letters, starts with H.
5. Nat Geo or Time, for short
Hint: Magazine abbreviation. Three letters.
8. Breakfast items favored by Eleven on "Stranger Things"
Hint: Frozen waffles from the Upside Down era. Five letters.
10. Letters before a texter's two cents
Hint: "In My Opinion" abbreviated. Three letters.
11. Nary a soul
Hint: Completely empty. Five letters, two words as one.
12. Sound on a dairy farm
Hint: What the cow says. Three letters.
13. Know-it-all
Hint: An exceptionally smart person. Six letters.
15. Words from Caesar to Brutus
Hint: Famous Latin accusation. Four letters.
18. Unit that is equivalent to about 4,000 blocks in Minecraft
Hint: Land measurement. Four letters.
19. Bring into the police station, say
Hint: Take into custody. Six letters.
21. Fish eggs
Hint: Sushi topping. Three letters.
22. Exposed
Hint: Revealed someone's secret. Five letters.
26. Features on the back of most airplane seats
Hint: In-flight entertainment screens. Three letters.
27. Cheer for an opera diva
Hint: Italian for "brave", feminine form. Five letters.
28. Guys
Hint: Pronoun for males. Three letters.
29. Website with a "Deals" tab
Hint: Online auction marketplace. Four letters.
Down Hints
1. Mother ___ (doting sort)
Hint: A mother hen. Three letters.
2. Counterpart to Freud's id
Hint: The rational part of the psyche. Three letters.
3. In the past
Hint: Before now. Three letters.
4. Mother ___ (first language, often)
Hint: Your native language. Six letters.
5. Impersonate
Hint: Copy someone's mannerisms. Five letters.
6. Love, in French
Hint: Parisian romance. Five letters.
7. Mother ___ (name in nursery rhymes)
Hint: Old woman who lived in a shoe. Five letters.
9. Look at
Hint: Use your eyes. Three letters.
14. Mother ___ (personification of all living things)
Hint: The natural world. Six letters.
15. Mother ___ (Greek goddess Gaia, essentially)
Hint: The planet we live on. Five letters.
16. Stash of treasure
Hint: A hidden collection of valuables. Five letters.
17. Lock of hair
Hint: A strand or curl. Five letters.
20. Shed many tears
Hint: Cry hard. Three letters.
23. Keyboard button above Caps Lock
Hint: Indent key. Three letters.
24. Actress Mendes
Hint: "Hitch" star. Three letters.
25. "Happy Mother's ___!"
Hint: May 10, 2026. Three letters.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. What a furnace provides
Answer: HEAT
5. Nat Geo or Time, for short
Answer: MAG
8. Breakfast items favored by Eleven on "Stranger Things"
Answer: EGGOS
10. Letters before a texter's two cents
Answer: IMO
11. Nary a soul
Answer: NOONE
12. Sound on a dairy farm
Answer: MOO
13. Know-it-all
Answer: GENIUS
15. Words from Caesar to Brutus
Answer: ETTU
18. Unit that is equivalent to about 4,000 blocks in Minecraft
Answer: ACRE
19. Bring into the police station, say
Answer: ARREST
21. Fish eggs
Answer: ROE
22. Exposed
Answer: OUTED
26. Features on the back of most airplane seats
Answer: TVS
27. Cheer for an opera diva
Answer: BRAVA
28. Guys
Answer: HES
29. Website with a "Deals" tab
Answer: EBAY
Down Answers
1. Mother ___ (doting sort)
Answer: HEN
2. Counterpart to Freud's id
Answer: EGO
3. In the past
Answer: AGO
4. Mother ___ (first language, often)
Answer: TONGUE
5. Impersonate
Answer: MIMIC
6. Love, in French
Answer: AMOUR
7. Mother ___ (name in nursery rhymes)
Answer: GOOSE
9. Look at
Answer: SEE
14. Mother ___ (personification of all living things)
Answer: NATURE
15. Mother ___ (Greek goddess Gaia, essentially)
Answer: EARTH
16. Stash of treasure
Answer: TROVE
17. Lock of hair
Answer: TRESS
20. Shed many tears
Answer: SOB
23. Keyboard button above Caps Lock
Answer: TAB
24. Actress Mendes
Answer: EVA
25. "Happy Mother's ___!"
Answer: DAY
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 18A. "Unit that is equivalent to about 4,000 blocks in Minecraft" for ACRE. This clue bridges gaming culture with real-world measurement in a way that rewards players who know their block dimensions. A classic example of the NYT reaching younger solvers without alienating traditionalists.
Wordplay Winner: 15A. "Words from Caesar to Brutus" for ETTU. Short, brutal, and instantly recognizable to anyone who remembers their Shakespeare. The clue relies on dramatic context rather than dictionary definitions, making the aha moment hit harder.
Quick Fill: 12A. "Sound on a dairy farm" for MOO. Three letters, one obvious answer. A free square that helps anchor the top-left corner of the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Look for theme clusters early. Today's six "Mother ___" Down clues (1D HEN, 4D TONGUE, 7D GOOSE, 14D NATURE, 15D EARTH, 25D DAY) form a vertical backbone. Spotting the pattern on 1D and 4D unlocks half the Down entries before you touch an Across clue.
Short Across fills (MOO, ROE, HES, TVS) act as confirmation points. When you pencil in 12A MOO, check that 1D HEN and 6D AMOUR intersect cleanly. If they do, you're on the right track. Use these gimmes to validate your longer answers.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The Mother's Day theme made this one unusually accessible for a Thursday, with more gimmes than you'd typically find midweek. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
