NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Down · 16-D

Poker payment

From the Saturday, May 30, 2026 puzzleAnswer: 4 lettersBy Kareem Ayas
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Letters
4
Direction
Down
Clue #
16
Starts with
A
Ends with
E
Vowels
2

About this clue

The clue “Poker payment” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at position 16-D. The answer is a 4-letter word that starts with A and ends with E.

This puzzle was titled “Dream Scenario” 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. The vowel pattern is balanced, suggesting a common English word.

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.
  • Short answers recur. Three- and four-letter entries often repeat across thousands of NYT puzzles — abbreviations, articles, and short proper nouns.
  • 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.