NYT Midi Crossword hints and answers for May 4, 2026

Every clue with a hint and the answer behind separate buttons, so nothing is spoiled until you tap.

Clues32
Across16
Down16
ThemeThe Call of the Wild

Today’s Midi clues, hints & answers

Every clue from this puzzle with a hint and the answer behind separate buttons, so you only see what you need. Click a clue for its own page.

Across

1A
Original airer of "Mad Men" (3)
Starts with A, ends with CAMC→
4A
Word that rhymes with "crude," aptly (4)
Starts with L, ends with DLEWD→
8A
Eccentric sort (4)
Starts with L, ends with NLOON→
10A
___ tikki (potato-laden Indian snack) (4)
Starts with A, ends with OALOO→
12A
Drain pain (4)
Starts with C, ends with GCLOG→
13A
Bundle of papers (5)
Starts with S, ends with FSHEAF→
15A
Like the sky on an overcast day (4)
Starts with G, ends with YGRAY→
17A
Garden tool for weeding (3)
Starts with H, ends with EHOE→
18A
Wilt (5)
Starts with D, ends with PDROOP→
23A
Alley-___ (3)
Starts with O, ends with POOP→
25A
Government org. with codebreakers (3)
Starts with N, ends with ANSA→
27A
Door opener (3)
Starts with K, ends with YKEY→

Down

1D
Comedian Wong (3)
Starts with A, ends with IALI→
2D
Sound from a 3-Down (3)
Starts with M, ends with OMOO→
3D
Animal with a four-chambered stomach (3)
Starts with C, ends with WCOW→
4D
Shoestring (4)
Starts with L, ends with ELACE→
5D
Jazz legend Fitzgerald (4)
Starts with E, ends with AELLA→
6D
Sound from a 7-Down (4)
Starts with W, ends with FWOOF→
9D
Org. featured in "Gravity" (4)
Starts with N, ends with ANASA→
16D
Square up, as a debt (5)
Starts with R, ends with YREPAY→
17D
Sound from a 15-Down (4)
Starts with H, ends with KHONK→
19D
Brand of tomato sauce (4)
Starts with R, ends with URAGU→
20D
Norse god of war (4)
Starts with O, ends with NODIN→
21D
Sound from a 22-Down (4)
Starts with O, ends with KOINK→
22D
Animal who relies on mud to stay cool (3)
Starts with P, ends with GPIG→

How to solve the Midi

Click a square and type to fill the grid. Each clue is numbered and marked Across or Down. Like the Daily Crossword, the Midi gets bigger as the week goes on: early-week grids are compact 9x9 puzzles with around 30 clues, Thursday and Friday grow to 10x10, and weekend grids reach 11x11 with longer theme answers.

Want the full method? Read our Midi strategy and tips, our guide to crossword clue types, or check how to play the Midi on the hub.

Midi tips for tomorrow

  • Fill the gimmes first. Scan every clue once and fill in anything you know instantly, especially fill-in-the-blank clues. Those letters unlock the crossings.
  • Read the theme title. The theme name often points straight at the longest answers. Try them early, even with only a couple of letters in place.
  • Match tense and number. A clue in the past tense has a past-tense answer; a plural clue has a plural answer. “Took to court” means the answer likely ends in -ED.

Done for today? Try The Mini, NYT Crossword, Wordle, all with hints first and answers behind a reveal.

Previous Midi puzzles

Midi FAQ

How many clues are in the Midi for May 4, 2026?+

32 clues: 16 Across and 16 Down. The puzzle was constructed by Ian Livengood.

What are some answers in today’s Midi?+

For example: Original airer of "Mad Men" (AMC); Word that rhymes with "crude," aptly (LEWD); Eccentric sort (LOON).

What is the NYT Midi crossword?+

The Midi is a mid-sized daily crossword from New York Times Games. It sits between the 5x5 Mini and the 15x15 Daily Crossword in both size and difficulty.

Where can I find past Midi answers?+

Every past Midi on GameAnswers.com has its own page with clue-by-clue hints first and the full answers at the bottom. Click any date above.

Today’s other puzzle answers

Crossword guides