The Midi Crossword
Rate itA themed crossword between the Mini and the Daily in size, new every day.
on nytimes.com
The Midi is the New York Times' midsize daily crossword, added to NYT Games in early 2026. Each day brings one themed grid, usually 9 by 9 and sometimes up to 11 by 11, pitched at an easy Monday level all week. It needs a New York Times Games or All Access subscription.
About The Midi Crossword
The New York Times had two daily crosswords for years: the Mini, a five by five grid solved in a minute or two, and the Daily, a full 15 by 15 that gets harder from Monday to Saturday. The Midi sits between them. After a pilot of Monday Midis, the Times made it a daily puzzle in early 2026.
A day's Midi is usually a 9 by 9 grid; later in the week and at weekends it can grow to 11 by 11. Unlike the Daily, its difficulty stays at an easy, Monday-like level every day, so the grid size is what changes across the week. Every Midi has a theme that ties several answers together.
The puzzle is made for screens rather than print. Grids may be asymmetrical or shaped around the theme, may allow two-letter words, and about once a week add a visual flourish when you start or finish. Ian Livengood edits it and writes some of the week's puzzles, with outside constructors making the rest.
The Midi is part of a New York Times Games or All Access subscription, unlike Wordle and Connections, which are free. It runs on the NYT Games website and in the NYT Games app on iPhone and Android, and suits solvers who find the Mini too short and the Daily too long.
How to play The Midi Crossword
- Open the Midi in the NYT Games app or at nytimes.com/crosswords/game/midi while signed in with a Games subscription.
- Read the clues and pick an entry; the theme often links several of the longer answers.
- Type answers into the grid, switching between Across and Down.
- Use the check and reveal tools if you get stuck, or solve clean for your streak.
- Finish the grid and come back the next day for a new Midi.
Tips
- Look for the theme early: once you see it, the long themed answers fill in fast.
- Expect two-letter words and odd grid shapes; they are allowed here though not in the Daily.
- Weekend Midis are larger, so set aside a few more minutes for them.
Questions
Is the Midi free?
No. It needs a New York Times Games or All Access subscription.
How big is the Midi?
Usually 9 by 9, sometimes up to 11 by 11, with the larger grids later in the week.
Does the Midi get harder through the week like the Daily?
No. It stays at an easy, Monday-like difficulty every day; the grid size changes instead.
Can I play the Midi in print?
No. It is a digital-only puzzle on the NYT Games website and app.
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Games like The Midi Crossword
The Mini Crossword
The Times' own small daily, 5x5 on most days, for when there are only two minutes to spare.
DailyPlay Crossword Midi
A free 9 by 9 daily with no ads and no subscription.
The New York Times Crossword
The full Daily from the same team. It gets harder from Monday to Saturday, which the Midi never does.
Midi Crossword (Los Angeles Times)
The Los Angeles Times answer to the same idea: a titled, themed 10x10 grid each day.
Midi Crossword (midicrossword.com)
Two 9x9 grids a day edited by Jeff Chen, an easy one and a hard one
Slate Crossword
Mid-sized on weekdays like the Midi, with a full-size grid on Sundays.
The Atlantic Crossword
Its grid starts small on Monday and grows through the week to Sunday.
Apple News+ Crossword
A daily 15x15 crossword inside the Apple News app, edited by The Puzzle Society.
More daily crosswords
- Daily Mini Crossword
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- Best Daily American Crossword
- Best Daily Cryptic Crossword
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- Boston Globe Crossword
- Chaosword
- Chicago Mini Crossword (Chicago Sun-Times)
- CNN Daily Crossword
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