Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Tuesday's grid brings a 10x9 puzzle with Spanish geography, snack brands, and animated villains.
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: 10x9
Total Clues: 44 (25 Across, 19 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 14A. Region of central Spain that's the primary setting for "Don Quixote"
Gimme Clue: 1A. Bills and coins
Theme Spotted: "The Cha Cha Slide"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Bills and coins
Hint: Four-letter word for money in physical form
5A. Baseball player's topper
Hint: Three-letter headwear with a brim
8A. Base times height, for a parallelogram
Hint: Four-letter geometric measurement
9A. College building
Hint: Four-letter word for a large room or corridor
10A. Snack aisle brand
Hint: Four-letter cracker brand
11A. Siouan tribe with three vowels in its name
Hint: Four-letter Native American tribe name
12A. Green powder in some lattes
Hint: Six-letter Japanese tea powder
14A. Region of central Spain that's the primary setting for "Don Quixote"
Hint: Eight-letter Spanish region, starts with L
17A. "You fell for it!"
Hint: Seven-letter contraction meaning "I got you"
18A. Lovable supervillain who can understand Minionese
Hint: Three-letter "Despicable Me" character
19A. Like a tough cross-country course
Hint: Five-letter adjective describing terrain with many slopes
22A. Coop resident
Hint: Three-letter female chicken
23A. Skateboarding trick
Hint: Five-letter trick where board and rider jump together
24A. ___ Talks
Hint: Three-letter conference series known for short talks
25A. Goes up
Hint: Five-letter verb meaning ascends
Down Hints
1D. Big giveaway on "The Price Is Right"
Hint: Three-letter vehicle prize
2D. Singer Grande, familiarly
Hint: Three-letter nickname for pop star Ariana
3D. Filming spot
Hint: Three-letter location where movies are shot
4D. Suit well-suited for dangerous circumstances
Hint: Six-letter protective clothing acronym
5D. General terms
Hint: Nine-letter phrase meaning broad categories
6D. "Welcome to Hawaii!"
Hint: Five-letter Hawaiian greeting
7D. ___ bargain (court agreement)
Hint: Four-letter legal term for a defendant's response
9D. Spicy bowlful that sounds like an oxymoron
Hint: Eight-letter dish combining "hot" and "chili"
13D. Part of the U.S. Marine Corps emblem
Hint: Six-letter nautical device
14D. It can travel over 11 million miles per minute
Hint: Five-letter form of electromagnetic radiation
15D. Concur
Hint: Five-letter verb meaning to be in harmony
16D. Small hill
Hint: Five-letter word for a gentle elevation
20D. Christopher who directed "Dunkirk"
Hint: Five-letter director's last name
21D. Pioneering arcade game company
Hint: Five-letter video game company from the 1970s
23D. South American nation that's home to about 80% of the world's alpacas
Hint: Four-letter country in the Andes
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1A. Bills and coins
Answer: CASH
5A. Baseball player's topper
Answer: CAP
8A. Base times height, for a parallelogram
Answer: AREA
9A. College building
Answer: HALL
10A. Snack aisle brand
Answer: RITZ
11A. Siouan tribe with three vowels in its name
Answer: OTOE
12A. Green powder in some lattes
Answer: MATCHA
14A. Region of central Spain that's the primary setting for "Don Quixote"
Answer: LAMANCHA
17A. "You fell for it!"
Answer: IGOTCHA
18A. Lovable supervillain who can understand Minionese
Answer: GRU
19A. Like a tough cross-country course
Answer: HILLY
22A. Coop resident
Answer: HEN
23A. Skateboarding trick
Answer: OLLIE
24A. ___ Talks
Answer: TED
25A. Goes up
Answer: RISES
Down Answers
1D. Big giveaway on "The Price Is Right"
Answer: CAR
2D. Singer Grande, familiarly
Answer: ARI
3D. Filming spot
Answer: SET
4D. Suit well-suited for dangerous circumstances
Answer: HAZMAT
5D. General terms
Answer: CATCHALLS
6D. "Welcome to Hawaii!"
Answer: ALOHA
7D. ___ bargain (court agreement)
Answer: PLEA
9D. Spicy bowlful that sounds like an oxymoron
Answer: HOTCHILI
13D. Part of the U.S. Marine Corps emblem
Answer: ANCHOR
14D. It can travel over 11 million miles per minute
Answer: LIGHT
15D. Concur
Answer: AGREE
16D. Small hill
Answer: MOUND
20D. Christopher who directed "Dunkirk"
Answer: NOLAN
21D. Pioneering arcade game company
Answer: ATARI
23D. South American nation that's home to about 80% of the world's alpacas
Answer: PERU
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 14A for LAMANCHA. The Spanish geography reference to Cervantes' "Don Quixote" requires specific literary knowledge beyond basic crossword vocabulary.
Wordplay Winner: 9D for HOTCHILI. The clue describes a dish that "sounds like an oxymoron" because "hot chili" seems redundant, creating a clever linguistic puzzle.
Quick Fill: 1A for CASH. The straightforward clue about physical money provides an easy starting point for solvers to begin filling the grid.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here's what today's puzzle teaches:
Start with three-letter corners. Short answers like CAP (5A), HEN (22A), and TED (24A) create anchor points that help solve longer intersecting words.
Watch for brand names in snack aisle clues. RITZ (10A) is a common crossword entry that appears frequently in puzzles.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The mix of Spanish geography, snack brands, and pop culture references shows the Midi's range.
Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
