NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Across · 11-A

Brief film appearance

From the Wednesday, May 20, 2026 puzzleAnswer: 5 lettersBy Ian Livengood
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Letters
5
Direction
Across
Clue #
11
Starts with
C
Ends with
O
Vowels
3

About this clue

The clue “Brief film appearance” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at position 11-A. The answer is a 5-letter word that starts with C and ends with O.

This puzzle was titled “Plot Twists” and constructed 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 Down 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.