NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Down · 4-D
Australian mammal often mislabeled as a bear
Tap each tile to reveal the answer
Stuck? Tap one tile at a time for a gentle nudge, or reveal the full answer.
Letters
5
Direction
Down
Clue #
4
Starts with
K
Ends with
A
Vowels
3
About this clue
The clue “Australian mammal often mislabeled as a bear” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Monday, June 22, 2026, at position 4-D. The answer is a 5-letter word that starts with K and ends with A.
This puzzle was titled “Seedy Business” and constructed by Kareem Ayas, edited by Ian Livengood.
The Midi Crossword sits between the lightning-fast Mini and the full daily, so its cluing tends toward punny misdirection rather than obscure trivia. With 3 vowels, this answer is unusually vowel-heavy — suggesting a phrase, name, or non-English borrowing.
How to solve this clue
If you're stuck on this Midi clue, here are angles that often help:
- Crosscheck with the perpendicular entries. Fill the Across entries that cross this one and the letters will usually reveal the answer.
- Watch for the puzzle title. Midi puzzles usually carry a small theme — long Across entries that share a wordplay link.
- Mind the part of speech. Singular clue takes a singular answer; past tense takes -ED or an irregular past form.
- Trust your first instinct. If a clue feels easy in the Midi, it usually is — the puzzle is designed to be solvable in three to five minutes.