Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Tuesday's grid serves up a clever meta-twist: two across clues that point to their own down counterparts. At 9x9 with 28 total clues, this puzzle rewards solvers who spot the self-referential wordplay 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: 28 (13 Across, 15 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 5A "Memento from a movie ticket" A ticket stub is the obvious answer, but the phrasing "memento" makes you overthink it.
Gimme Clue: 1A "___ Tuesday" Taco Tuesday is so embedded in pop culture that this is a near-instant fill.
Theme Spotted: "Going Both Ways"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. ___ Tuesday
Hint: Think Tuesday dinner specials at your favorite Mexican spot. Four letters.
5. Memento from a movie ticket
Hint: What you tear off and keep after entering the theater. Four letters.
9. Taylor Swift, to Swifties, e.g.
Hint: A figure fans admire and look up to. Four letters.
10. Hourly compensation
Hint: What an employer pays for time worked. Four letters.
11. Intellectual property protection ... or an apt description of 18-Down?
Hint: The legal right that protects written work. Nine letters.
13. What M&M's may do in a hot car
Hint: Chocolate's reaction to summer heat. Four letters.
14. Show you aren't interested on a dating app ... or an apt description of 14-Down?
Hint: The opposite of swiping right. Two words, nine letters total.
19. Meek
Hint: Opposite of bold or assertive. Five letters.
20. "What ___ you even talking about?!"
Hint: A present-tense verb of existence. Three letters.
21. Disney character voiced by Idina Menzel
Hint: The Snow Queen from Arendelle. Four letters.
22. Gold Card issuer, informally
Hint: The four-letter abbreviation for a major credit card company.
23. "Totally agree!"
Hint: A word of affirmation often said in church. Four letters.
24. Swimming competition
Hint: An event at the Olympics where swimmers race. Four letters.
25. Back muscles, briefly
Hint: Short for latissimus dorsi. Four letters.
26. Quirky
Hint: Unusual or peculiar. Three letters.
Down Hints
1. Behavioral quirk
Hint: A small, repetitive habit, like blinking or humming. Three letters.
2. Kerfuffle
Hint: A fuss or commotion over something minor. Three letters.
3. Job for Al Pacino's character in "Heat" or "Serpico"
Hint: A law enforcement officer. Three letters.
4. Gold medal seekers
Hint: Athletes competing at the Summer Games. Nine letters.
5. Food for a pig
Hint: Slop from the kitchen. Five letters.
6. Handled as a pair
Hint: What you do with a second player in video games. Three letters.
7. Cry of disgust
Hint: What you say when something is gross. Three letters.
8. Put chips on the table
Hint: What you do at a poker table. Three letters.
12. Part of a clarinet
Hint: The thin piece of cane that vibrates to make sound. Four letters.
14. Pilfer
Hint: To steal something of small value. Five letters.
15. "The Flintstones" character with orange hair
Hint: Fred's wife. Five letters.
16. "Nothing for me, thanks"
Hint: A polite way to decline. Two words, five letters total.
17. Rescued, as one's teammates in Capture the Flag
Hint: Released from captivity. Five letters.
18. Contents of an article
Hint: The written words in a newspaper piece. Four letters.
22. "___, amas, amat ..." (Latin 101 conjugation)
Hint: The first-person singular of the Latin verb "to love." Three letters.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1. ___ Tuesday
Answer: TACO
5. Memento from a movie ticket
Answer: STUB
9. Taylor Swift, to Swifties, e.g.
Answer: IDOL
10. Hourly compensation
Answer: WAGE
11. Intellectual property protection ... or an apt description of 18-Down?
Answer: COPYRIGHT
13. What M&M's may do in a hot car
Answer: MELT
14. Show you aren't interested on a dating app ... or an apt description of 14-Down?
Answer: SWIPE LEFT
19. Meek
Answer: TIMID
20. "What ___ you even talking about?!"
Answer: ARE
21. Disney character voiced by Idina Menzel
Answer: ELSA
22. Gold Card issuer, informally
Answer: AMEX
23. "Totally agree!"
Answer: AMEN
24. Swimming competition
Answer: MEET
25. Back muscles, briefly
Answer: LATS
26. Quirky
Answer: ODD
Down Answers
1. Behavioral quirk
Answer: TIC
2. Kerfuffle
Answer: ADO
3. Job for Al Pacino's character in "Heat" or "Serpico"
Answer: COP
4. Gold medal seekers
Answer: OLYMPIANS
5. Food for a pig
Answer: SWILL
6. Handled as a pair
Answer: TAG
7. Cry of disgust
Answer: UGH
8. Put chips on the table
Answer: BET
12. Part of a clarinet
Answer: REED
14. Pilfer
Answer: STEAL
15. "The Flintstones" character with orange hair
Answer: WILMA
16. "Nothing for me, thanks"
Answer: I'M SET
17. Rescued, as one's teammates in Capture the Flag
Answer: FREED
18. Contents of an article
Answer: TEXT
22. "___, amas, amat ..." (Latin 101 conjugation)
Answer: AMO
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 11A "Intellectual property protection ... or an apt description of 18-Down?" for COPYRIGHT. The constructors added a meta-layer by having COPYRIGHT literally describe its crossing down answer TEXT. Solve 18-Down first and the gimmick clicks into place.
Wordplay Winner: 14A "Show you aren't interested on a dating app ... or an apt description of 14-Down?" for SWIPE LEFT. The same self-referential trick returns: SWIPE LEFT describes 14-Down STEAL (as in "swipe left" to steal). It's a double meaning that rewards solvers who think about the clue as both instruction and description.
Quick Fill: 1A "___ Tuesday" for TACO. A cultural gimme that anchors the top-left corner and feeds easy letters into 1D TIC, 2D ADO, and 3D COP.
Speed Solver Tips
Watch for "apt description" phrasing in clues. When a constructor flags a clue as describing another entry, it signals a meta-puzzle relationship that can unlock multiple answers at once. Solving the described down clue first reveals the across answer's logic.
Tuesday puzzles often lean pop culture. Today's grid draws from Taylor Swift, Disney, "The Flintstones," and Taco Tuesday. If a clue feels stuck, scan for celebrity names, movie references, and brand shorthand (AMEX) to find quick fills.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? Between the self-referential COPYRIGHT and SWIPE LEFT pair, Tuesday's puzzle rewarded solvers who read clues twice. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
