Today’s NYT Midi Crossword is live, and leans into a seafaring celebration, crisp trivia, and a clue-initial trick. Settle in for a playful grid with a strong thematic payoff.
How The Midi Works
The Midi is the middle ground between the Mini and the classic NYT Crossword, offering a mid-size grid that takes a few satisfying minutes to clear. 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: 9×9
Total Clues: 32 (15 Across, 17 Down)
Trickiest Clue: 23D is the trickiest clue because its surface points to a noisy celebration while its second reading asks you to inspect every clue’s first character.
Gimme Clue: 5D is the clearest gimme because the bout nickname and Muhammad identify one unmistakable boxing legend.
Theme Spotted: “Sea What I’m Saying”
Clue Decoder (Hints Only)
Need a nudge without the full answer? Here’s a hint for each clue.
Across Hints
1A. Red-hot volcanic flow
Hint: Think of molten rock after it reaches the surface. Four letters, starts with L.
5A. Rendered speechless, say
Hint: Picture being so impressed that words fail. Four letters, starts with A.
9A. “Ready and willing!”
Hint: Use the upbeat reply that accepts an invitation without hesitation. Four letters, starts with I.
10A. Romance
Hint: Think of the emotion at the heart of romance. Four letters, starts with L.
11A. Read with 22-Across, September 19 observance whose celebrants might shout “Shiver me timbers!”
Hint: Join this with 22A to name the September 19 observance marked by seafaring speech. Nine letters, starts with T.
13A. Roth who directed “Hostel”
Hint: Identify the filmmaker Roth who directed Hostel. Three letters, starts with E.
14A. Rear ___
Hint: Complete the phrase for the backmost portion of something. Three letters, starts with E.
15A. “Runny” breakfast food
Hint: Think of the breakfast item whose yolk can remain fluid. Three letters, starts with E.
17A. “r u serious?? wow!!”
Hint: Translate the astonished text message into its familiar three-character initialism. Three letters, starts with O.
20A. Red, blue or green
Hint: Name the color property shared by red, blue, and green. Three letters, starts with H.
22A. Read with 11-Across
Hint: Combine this entry with 11A to complete the observance named there. Nine letters, starts with P.
26A. Royal ruler of Kuwait or Qatar
Hint: Use the Arabic title held by a royal ruler in Kuwait or Qatar. Four letters, starts with E.
27A. Right-___ up
Hint: Think of the word placed between “right” and “up” in the phrase meaning properly oriented. Four letters, starts with S.
28A. Rim attachments
Hint: Picture what hangs from basketball rims. Four letters, starts with N.
29A. Railroad station
Hint: Use the brief word for a scheduled calling point on a rail route. Four letters, starts with S.
Down Hints
1D. Reading subject, informally
Hint: Think of the informal school-subject abbreviation for novels and poetry. Three letters, starts with L.
2D. Reddit Q&A session
Hint: Recall Reddit’s abbreviation for a user-led question session. Three letters, starts with A.
3D. Repulsive
Hint: Reach for an adjective meaning morally disgusting. Four letters, starts with V.
4D. Rolling it may cause a sprain
Hint: Think of the joint commonly twisted during a misstep. Five letters, starts with A.
5D. “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing champ Muhammad
Hint: Complete the champion’s full name from the famous bout. Three letters, starts with A.
6D. Rose from a nap, say
Hint: Use the simple past-tense verb for emerging from sleep. Four letters, starts with W.
7D. Roulette alternative to “odd”
Hint: Choose the other parity bet on a roulette table. Four letters, starts with E.
8D. “Ringer” or “center” preceder
Hint: Find one adjective that can come before both “ringer” and “center.” Four letters, starts with D.
12D. Ray of ___
Hint: Complete the phrase for a hopeful glimmer. Five letters, starts with L.
16D. Rough estimate
Hint: Think of a tentative answer made without certainty. Five letters, starts with G.
17D. “Ready for business” store sign
Hint: Picture the storefront sign displayed when customers may enter. Four letters, starts with O.
18D. Role for one dressed in a black-and-white striped shirt
Hint: Think of the silent performer who acts through gesture. Four letters, starts with M.
19D. Rub together forcefully, as teeth
Hint: Use the verb for forcefully rubbing one’s teeth together. Four letters, starts with G.
21D. Revise, as an article
Hint: Choose the newsroom verb for polishing copy before publication. Four letters, starts with E.
23D. Rowdy cries on 11-/22-Across … or the letters that start all of the clues in this puzzle
Hint: Say aloud the plural name of the character that begins every clue, then imagine the rowdy cries heard during the seafaring observance. Three letters, starts with A.
24D. Ruckus
Hint: Think of a fuss or commotion. Three letters, starts with A.
25D. “Right you are!”
Hint: Use a casual affirmative that agrees with the speaker. Three letters, starts with Y.
Full Answers
Spoilers below. Scroll only when you’re ready for the solutions.
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Across Answers
1A. Red-hot volcanic flow
Answer: LAVA
5A. Rendered speechless, say
Answer: AWED
9A. “Ready and willing!”
Answer: IMIN
10A. Romance
Answer: LOVE
11A. Read with 22-Across, September 19 observance whose celebrants might shout “Shiver me timbers!”
Answer: TALKLIKEA
13A. Roth who directed “Hostel”
Answer: ELI
14A. Rear ___
Answer: END
15A. “Runny” breakfast food
Answer: EGG
17A. “r u serious?? wow!!”
Answer: OMG
20A. Red, blue or green
Answer: HUE
22A. Read with 11-Across
Answer: PIRATEDAY
26A. Royal ruler of Kuwait or Qatar
Answer: EMIR
27A. Right-___ up
Answer: SIDE
28A. Rim attachments
Answer: NETS
29A. Railroad station
Answer: STOP
Down Answers
1D. Reading subject, informally
Answer: LIT
2D. Reddit Q&A session
Answer: AMA
3D. Repulsive
Answer: VILE
4D. Rolling it may cause a sprain
Answer: ANKLE
5D. “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing champ Muhammad
Answer: ALI
6D. Rose from a nap, say
Answer: WOKE
7D. Roulette alternative to “odd”
Answer: EVEN
8D. “Ringer” or “center” preceder
Answer: DEAD
12D. Ray of ___
Answer: LIGHT
16D. Rough estimate
Answer: GUESS
17D. “Ready for business” store sign
Answer: OPEN
18D. Role for one dressed in a black-and-white striped shirt
Answer: MIME
19D. Rub together forcefully, as teeth
Answer: GRIT
21D. Revise, as an article
Answer: EDIT
23D. Rowdy cries on 11-/22-Across … or the letters that start all of the clues in this puzzle
Answer: ARS
24D. Ruckus
Answer: ADO
25D. “Right you are!”
Answer: YEP
Grid Breakdown
Here’s what made today’s puzzle tick:
Standout Clue: 11A and 22A combine as TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY, the marquee answer that gives the grid its seafaring voice and matches the September 19 observance in the clue.
Wordplay Winner: 23D, ARS, wins the wordplay prize. It sounds like pirates’ rowdy cries while also representing the plural name of R, the letter that starts every clue.
Quick Fill: ALI was the fastest confident fill because the bout and Muhammad make it immediate. Its letters lock in AWED, LOVE, and TALKLIKEA across the upper-right section.
Speed Solver Tips
Looking to shave seconds off your time? Here’s what today’s puzzle teaches:
On paired clues, read the phrase as a whole before forcing either half. TALKLIKEA and PIRATEDAY become much easier as TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY, and their crossings help settle LIGHT and GUESS.
When a clue points both to a sound and to clue initials, test a letter-name pun. Here every clue begins with R, making ARS the clean payoff at 23D.
Tomorrow’s Puzzle
The grid played fair, using direct fill to support one satisfying observation about its clue wording. TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY supplied the character, and ARS delivered the final wink.
See you at the next grid.
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