Today's NYT Midi Crossword is live, and Tuesday's grid serves up a triple-dose theme built around "Big Red" across three completely different contexts. It's a 9x9 puzzle with 29 clues that rewards solvers who can jump from baseball to college sports to the candy aisle without missing a beat.
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 (15 Across, 14 Down)
Trickiest Clue: "Big Red ... in baseball" You need to know Pete Rose's nickname and his connection to the Cincinnati Reds.
Gimme Clue: "Roald who wrote 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'" Instant fill for anyone who's read a children's book.
Theme Spotted: "Big Red"
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here's a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1. Cleaning tool with a long handle
Hint: Three letters. You push it across a wet floor.
4. Part of a doorframe
Hint: Four letters. The vertical piece a door swings against.
8. Name found in "chariot"
Hint: Three letters. Look inside the word itself.
9. West Coast sch. east of Topanga State Park
Hint: Four letters. Famous Bruins.
10. Big Red ... in baseball
Hint: Eight letters. The all-time hits leader, also known as Charlie Hustle.
12. Greatly relish
Hint: Five letters. To savor something deeply.
13. Big Red ... in college athletics
Hint: Seven letters. An Ivy League school in upstate New York.
17. Roald who wrote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Hint: Four letters. British author, last name starts with D.
19. Low-___ (lite)
Hint: Three letters. Think calories or fat content.
20. People's Sexiest Man ___
Hint: Five letters. The magazine's annual title.
22. "Hazy" brew, for short
Hint: Three letters. A hoppy beer style, three-letter abbreviation.
23. Gloomy
Hint: Five letters. Starts with M, rhymes with "copy."
24. Big Red ... in a candy aisle
Hint: Three letters. A chewy, fruity treat.
25. Circle around a star?
Hint: Five letters. A group of people, not planets.
26. Retreat where one might wear a robe
Hint: Three letters. Think day spa.
Down Hints
1. One might say "X Marks the Spot"
Hint: Three letters. A treasure hunter's guide.
2. Parts of a rockhound's collection
Hint: Four letters. Mined materials, not just rocks.
3. Crunchy snacks dipped in hummus
Hint: Eight letters. Triangle-shaped chips.
4. One of 12 on a courtroom panel
Hint: Five letters. Decides the verdict.
5. Nut for a squirrel
Hint: Five letters. An oak tree's gift.
6. Org. for the Philadelphia Union and Portland Timbers
Hint: Three letters. Top-tier American soccer league.
7. My love, in slang
Hint: Three letters. A term of endearment, often used in texts.
11. Changes over time
Hint: Seven letters. What species do over generations.
14. Vaping devices, for short
Hint: Five letters. Electronic cigarettes, abbreviated.
15. Drink, like a cat
Hint: Five letters. To consume liquid with the tongue.
16. Pack animal with banana-shaped ears
Hint: Five letters. South American camelid, two Ls.
17. Mildly wet
Hint: Four letters. Not soaked, just slightly moist.
18. Potatoes, in Indian cooking
Hint: Four letters. Starts with A, found in aloo gobi.
21. "Beauty is in the ___ of the beholder"
Hint: Three letters. The organ responsible for sight.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you're ready for the solutions.
---
---
---
---
---
Across Answers
1. Cleaning tool with a long handle
Answer: MOP
4. Part of a doorframe
Answer: JAMB
8. Name found in "chariot"
Answer: ARI
9. West Coast sch. east of Topanga State Park
Answer: UCLA
10. Big Red ... in baseball
Answer: PETEROSE
12. Greatly relish
Answer: SAVOR
13. Big Red ... in college athletics
Answer: CORNELL
17. Roald who wrote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"
Answer: DAHL
19. Low-___ (lite)
Answer: CAL
20. People's Sexiest Man ___
Answer: ALIVE
22. "Hazy" brew, for short
Answer: IPA
23. Gloomy
Answer: MOPEY
24. Big Red ... in a candy aisle
Answer: GUM
25. Circle around a star?
Answer: POSSE
26. Retreat where one might wear a robe
Answer: SPA
Down Answers
1. One might say "X Marks the Spot"
Answer: MAP
2. Parts of a rockhound's collection
Answer: ORES
3. Crunchy snacks dipped in hummus
Answer: PITACHIPS
4. One of 12 on a courtroom panel
Answer: JUROR
5. Nut for a squirrel
Answer: ACORN
6. Org. for the Philadelphia Union and Portland Timbers
Answer: MLS
7. My love, in slang
Answer: BAE
11. Changes over time
Answer: EVOLVES
14. Vaping devices, for short
Answer: ECIGS
15. Drink, like a cat
Answer: LAPUP
16. Pack animal with banana-shaped ears
Answer: LLAMA
17. Mildly wet
Answer: DAMP
18. Potatoes, in Indian cooking
Answer: ALOO
21. "Beauty is in the ___ of the beholder"
Answer: EYE
Grid Breakdown
Here's what made today's puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 25A "Circle around a star?" for POSSE. The question mark signals wordplay, and the misdirection is clean: you're thinking astronomy when the answer is a group of people orbiting a celebrity.
Wordplay Winner: 8A "Name found in 'chariot'" for ARI. A hidden-word clue that hides in plain sight. Chariot contains A-R-I consecutively, rewarding solvers who scan the letters rather than overthink the meaning.
Quick Fill: 17A "Roald who wrote 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'" for DAHL. Four letters, unmistakable association, zero ambiguity. A gimme that keeps momentum going.
Speed Solver Tips
Today's puzzle teaches a valuable lesson about theme spotting. The three "Big Red" clues (10A, 13A, 24A) share a nickname but demand knowledge from three separate domains: baseball history, Ivy League sports, and candy brands. If you got 10A first, use it to confirm the theme and trust that 13A and 24A will follow the same pattern.
Watch for the question mark in 25A. That single punctuation mark tells you the clue is playing with language, not describing literal astronomy. Question marks in crosswords almost always signal puns, homophones, or lateral thinking.
Tomorrow's Puzzle
The next Midi drops tomorrow. How did today's grid treat you? The triple "Big Red" theme made this Tuesday puzzle feel more like a Wednesday challenge, especially if Pete Rose's nickname wasn't in your mental Rolodex. Every puzzle sharpens your instincts for the next one.
See you at the next grid.
