The NYT Midi Crossword is a delightful challenge that ticks green on the difficulty curve but still requires at least 5-6 minutes of your undivided attention. It slots right in between the traditional Crossword and the Mini, offering a puzzle that’s somewhat easy to solve, but moderately lengthy – hence the “Midi.” But as is the case with any crossword, some terms can be tricky to uncover. Rest assured, you’re in the right place, as we provide the NYT Midi hints and answers for the theme “Raking It In” on October 29, 2026.
NYT Midi Crossword Hints and Answers Today for October 29
The NYT Midi Crossword comes in a grid of either 9×9, 11×11, or somewhere in between every day. In terms of difficulty, these crosswords are designed to be easy and accessible, so you don’t need to worry about the challenge getting steeper as the week draws on. If you need a specific NYT Midi hint to keep your streak alive, check our solver below.
What really sets the Midi Crossword apart from its NYT contemporaries is the daily theme. Just like today’s Strands puzzle, the crossword carries a new theme every day, which dictates its many clues and answers. Moreover, the grid designs are asymmetrical, with the constructors confirming that at least one weekly puzzle will carry animations and colorful visual patterns.
If you’re looking to learn more about the game, including useful tips and strategies, be sure to check out our guide on how to play the Midi Crossword.
With all that out of the way, here are today’s Midi Crossword hints and answers for October 29, 2026, which carries the theme – Raking It In
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How to play
Click a cell to reveal its letter.
Click a revealed cell again to toggle Across / Down.
Click “Reveal all” to show the full solution.
Click on a clue to highlight its answer cells.
1Religious offshoot
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Hint 1:
It’s what a group becomes when it breaks away from a larger tradition.
Hint 2:
Often paired with “cult” in everyday conversation.
5Propped open, say
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Hint 1:
Picture a door that isn’t fully shut but isn’t wide open either.
Hint 2:
It starts with a vowel and has two of the same letter.
9Soccer legend born Edson Arantes do Nascimento
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Hint 1:
He’s known by a single name.
Hint 2:
He won three World Cups with Brazil.
10Bob who lost to Clinton in 1996
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Hint 1:
He was a longtime Republican senator from Kansas.
Hint 2:
He shares his surname with a company famous for pineapples and bananas.
11Dessert topped with caramel sauce
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Hint 1:
It’s a creamy, custard-style dessert popular in Spanish and Latin American cuisine.
Hint 2:
It’s often served upside down so the caramel runs over the top.
12Not able to hear
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Hint 1:
It’s the opposite of the last letter-group in “hearing.”
Hint 2:
Think of the idiom “falling on ___ ears.”
13Stitches up
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Hint 1:
Needle and thread are the tools here.
Hint 2:
It sounds like a word for planting seeds, but has a different meaning.
15Fusilli, farfalle or fregula
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Hint 1:
All three are named in Italian.
Hint 2:
Look for the broader food category they belong to.
17Closest bud, in brief
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Hint 1:
It’s texting shorthand.
Hint 2:
You might write it on a friendship bracelet or a birthday card.
20"Bread" dispenser
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Hint 1:
“Bread” is slang for something you carry in your wallet.
Hint 2:
You’d use a card and a PIN here
21Like bread used to make stuffing
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Hint 1:
Day-old bread is a perfect fit.
Hint 2:
Think of the opposite of fresh.
23Seasonal buildups kids may jump into … or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters
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Hint 1:
This is a fall activity in the backyard.
Hint 2:
Think of what rakes are used for.
25Online meeting button pushed when sneezing, perhaps
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Hint 1:
Think Zoom or Teams.
Hint 2:
It saves your coworkers from an awkward noise.
26 See 14-Down
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Hint 1:
Look at the clue for 14-Down to see what the insect might be living in.
Hint 2:
A bird would build one in a tree.
27Zipped along
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Hint 1:
It’s the past tense of a verb meaning to go fast.
Hint 2:
It can describe a car that went over the limit.
28 One shade of gray
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Hint 1:
It’s also a kind of tree.
Hint 2:
It’s what’s left after a fire has burned out.
1Beach bottle letters
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Hint 1:
Look at a bottle of sunscreen.
Hint 2:
A higher number here means more protection from the sun.
2Slithery swimmer
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Hint 1:
It looks like a snake but lives in the water.
Hint 2:
Some species can deliver an electric shock.
3Research fellow?
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Hint 1:
Think school, not the laboratory.
Hint 2:
You might have shared a desk or a group project with this person.
42020 Christopher Nolan film with a palindromic title
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Hint 1:
The film plays with time moving forward and backward.
Hint 2:
It’s also a word for a core belief or principle.
5Puts two and two together, say
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Hint 1:
Think arithmetic, not detective work.
Hint 2:
It’s something you might do on a calculator.
6QB Burrow
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Hint 1:
He plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hint 2:
It’s a common first name.
7Pie ___ mode
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Hint 1:
It’s a French-origin word meaning “in the style of.”
Hint 2:
It describes a dessert served with ice cream.
8 Whistle blower
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Hint 1:
Think of someone in a striped shirt.
Hint 2:
They keep the game fair.
14Insect that may live in a basketball-sized 26-Across
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Hint 1:
It can sting repeatedly.
Hint 2:
It builds papery homes under eaves and in trees.
15Trees common in Miami's South Beach neighborhood
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Hint 1:
Think of tropical, beachfront scenery.
Hint 2:
A single one has fronds instead of leaves.
16Inhaled, so to speak
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Hint 1:
This is about food, not breathing.
Hint 2:
It describes devouring something quickly.
17 Bundles of hay
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Hint 1:
You’d find them on a farm.
Hint 2:
They’re tied up and stacked after harvest.
18___ and blood (kin)
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Hint 1:
This is a phrase for family.
Hint 2:
It’s the soft tissue covering the body’s bones.
19Suffix with snooze or gab
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Hint 1:
Add it to a word to mean a big gathering or event.
Hint 2:
Think “film ___” or “music ___.”
22Actress Fey
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Hint 1:
She was head writer on Saturday Night Live and created 30 Rock
Hint 2:
Her first name is also a nickname for a longer name ending in “-ina.”
24Org. headed by Kevin Warsh, with "the"
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Hint 1:
Its decisions affect interest rates.
Hint 2:
It’s an abbreviation of the central bank’s longer name.
If you’re ready to move on to other NYT puzzles, be sure to check out today’s Wordle hints and answer right here.
Difficulty Level for NYT Midi Crossword Answers Today
Based on my experience, the difficulty level for finding today’s NYT Midi answer was a 3 out of 5.
It’s important to mention that these medium-sized crosswords are generally super easy. Even if the difficulty rating reaches 5, the puzzle will still be much simpler than the intense and brain-teasing NYT Crossword. With that context in mind, my personal rating assesses the relative complexity of today’s Midi Crossword compared to previous editions.
Today’s grid leaned on everyday words and a fall theme, with LEAF PILES, PASTA, STALE, and SPED anchoring the Across side while CLASSMATE, TENET, and PALMS led the Down side. Most of the grid is built from short answers like SPF, EEL, JOE, ALA, REF, and FED, so the crossings hand you letters quickly. Once those are in, entries such as FLAN, DEAF, SEWS, and BALES fall into place without much effort.
A few clues took a second look. CLASSMATE is the toughest entry, since the “Research fellow?” pun pulls you toward a lab instead of a classroom. LEAF PILES and ATE UP are multiword answers that are easy to miss when the clue offers only a vague scene or a figurative phrase. FED and TENET lean on current events and film knowledge, though the crossings make them easy to confirm.
Yesterday’s NYT Midi Crossword Hints
If the puzzle above isn’t the NYT Midi crossword you require assistance with, then you are likely looking for yesterday’s solutions. Yesterday’s Midi theme was “Snakes in the Grass,” and it scored a 2 out of 5 on our difficulty scale.
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How to play
Click a cell to reveal its letter.
Click a revealed cell again to toggle Across / Down.
Click “Reveal all” to show the full solution.
Click on a clue to highlight its answer cells.
1Tees and tanks
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Hint 1:
Think of a clothing store’s sections, not sports or camping.
Hint 2:
These are usually sold in the same shop as “bottoms.”
5Money in Mexico
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Hint 1:
The currency symbol looks just like a dollar sign.
Hint 2:
Several other Latin American countries use a currency with this same name.
9Long poems with heroes
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Hint 1:
The Odyssey and Beowulf are classic examples.
Hint 2:
Hollywood uses the same word for sweeping, big-budget movies.
11Basic earring
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Hint 1:
Contrast it with a hoop or a dangling style.
Hint 2:
It sits flat against the earlobe.
12"Just like we discussed …"
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Hint 1:
Picture it in a follow-up email: “Attached, ____.”
Hint 2:
It starts with a small word meaning “in the manner that.”
14__ Today
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Hint 1:
This is a national newspaper known for colorful weather maps.
Hint 2:
The answer is also what crowds chant at Olympic events.
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Hint 1:
Think of the stats shown next to a quarterback’s name on TV.
Hint 2:
Yard lines on the field are counted in these.
16Some bath time playthings
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Hint 1:
Rubber duckies float alongside them.
Hint 2:
Kids “sail” these across the tub.
20Number that changes on your birthday
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Hint 1:
Count the candles on the cake to find it.
Hint 2:
It’s a question you’re not supposed to ask at a party.
21"Ohhh, I see now!"
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Hint 1:
It’s what people say when the lightbulb goes on.
Hint 2:
A 1980s Norwegian band sang “Take On Me” with a stylized version of this word as its name.
23Like a snake in the grass
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Hint 1:
Think of Benedict Arnold, Brutus, or Judas.
Hint 2:
This describes someone who secretly betrays your trust.
28Religious leader's speech
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Hint 1:
It’s delivered from a pulpit.
Hint 2:
Parents also use this word for a long moral lecture.
29Opposite of con
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Hint 1:
It appears in a “___s and cons” list.
Hint 2:
A paid athlete shares this nickname.
30 Sound from a sleeper
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Hint 1:
Partners often complain about this noise.
Hint 2:
It’s the nighttime sound that cartoons draw as “Zzz.”
31"So whaddya ___?"
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Hint 1:
A salesperson asks this at the end of a pitch.
Hint 2:
You also hear it before “cheese” when a photo is taken.
1Drink that may be served with grass jelly or boba
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Hint 1:
Think of a bubble-style drink with a extra-wide straw.
Hint 2:
In Britain, this is also the name of an afternoon ritual with biscuits.
2 Photo ___
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Hint 1:
Think of staged setups at events, perfect for Instagram.
Hint 2:
The word is short for “chances” and is plural here.
3Dot on a domino
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Hint 1:
Dice have these too.
Hint 2:
An orange seed has this name as well.
4Thoroughly clean
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Hint 1:
Do this to a dirty pot with a rough brush.
Hint 2:
Surgeons do this to their hands before an operation.
5Letter before omega
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Hint 1:
It’s a Greek letter that looks like a trident.
Hint 2:
Tire pressure is measured in a unit with this same three-letter sound.
6Certain "storefronts" that often sell handmade items
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Hint 1:
The quotation marks hint that these shops are online only.
Hint 2:
Think of a rival to Amazon, popular with crafters.
7Took to court
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Hint 1:
It’s the past tense of what a plaintiff does.
Hint 2:
It follows a legal dispute that goes wrong.
8Betting figures
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Hint 1:
A sportsbook posts these before a game.
Hint 2:
They’re written like 3-to-1 or with plus and minus signs.
10 Meh
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Hint 1:
It’s the typical answer to “How was the movie?” when you weren’t thrilled.
Hint 2:
The answer is a doubled word, often written with a hyphen.
13Cry on a goat farm
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Hint 1:
Sheep make a very similar sound, but it begins with a different letter.
Hint 2:
It’s a consonant followed by a doubled vowel.
16Bits of body art
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Hint 1:
It’s the slang, shortened form of the word.
Hint 2:
You’d get these done at a parlor.
17 "___ are like onions … onions have layers, ___ have layers" ("Shrek" line)
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Hint 1:
Shrek himself belongs to this group.
Hint 2:
Think of big, green swamp dwellers from fairy tales.
18Wish (for)
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Hint 1:
It’s a word often found in love songs and romance novels: “I ___ for you.”
Hint 2:
It suggests a deep, aching kind of wanting.
19Roofing material
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Hint 1:
It’s black and sticky.
Hint 2:
It’s the first half of a punishment that ended with feathers.
22Cool factor, in Gen Z slang
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Hint 1:
Online, people say “plus a thousand” before this word to praise something cool.
Hint 2:
In mystic beliefs, it’s also the glow said to surround a person.
24Texter's "What I think is … "
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Hint 1:
It’s a close cousin of “IMHO,” but shorter.
Hint 2:
It usually comes right before someone shares an opinion online.
25The Blue Jays, on scoreboards
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Hint 1:
Baseball scoreboards abbreviate team cities this way.
Hint 2:
It’s shorthand for Canada’s largest city.
26 20-Across of some toddlers
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Hint 1:
It’s the number on a first-birthday cake.
Hint 2:
It comes just before the “terrible twos.”
27 Impossible Foods "meat" base
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Hint 1:
Sushi restaurants serve a salty sauce made from it.
Hint 2:
It’s also the base of a popular dairy-free milk.
How to Solve the NYT Midi Crossword Today
Since the NYT Midi Crossword is a relatively new puzzle game, coming to grips with its format and asymmetrical design can be tricky. So, here are some tips and tricks to help you find the NYT Midi answer today without spoiling the fun:
Start with the obvious entries: Just like warming up before a big game, the best approach is to begin with the clues you know immediately. Filling in a few obvious answers gives you letters that can help unlock tougher clues elsewhere in the grid.
Use the crossings to your advantage: Every NYT Midi answer in the crossword intersects with another. If a clue has you stuck, check the letters you’ve already filled in from crossing words. Even one or two confirmed letters can point you toward the correct answer.
Ignore interchangeable letters/multiple clues: Occasionally, the Midi Crossword will feature multiple clues denoted by arrows. Their respective cells will also feature the arrow, indicating that the letters are swappable. Our advice is to ignore this mechanic entirely. Don’t get caught up in the artificial complexity and focus on the one clue that you’re more familiar with. That’s really all you need to do to progress through the grid.
That’s all for today’s NYT Midi Crossword hints and answers guide. If you struggled with the puzzle, remember that you can always start the next day anew, and we’ll be back with simple hints to help you out. In the meantime, check out today’s Contexto answer or browse the latest NYT Spelling Bee answers to keep going.
What is today’s NYT Midi Crossword theme?
The theme for today’s NYT Midi Crossword on October 29, 2026, is ”Raking It In”
What is the hint for the October 29 NYT Midi Crossword ‘Zipped along’?
The clue for ‘Zipped along’ in today’s Midi Crossword is “It’s the past tense of a verb meaning to go fast.”
What is the hint for October 29 NYT Midi Crossword ‘Inhaled, so to speak’?
The clue for ‘Inhaled, so to speak’ in today’s Midi Crossword is “This is about food, not breathing. It describes devouring something quickly.”
What is the hint for the October 29 NYT Midi Crossword ‘Suffix with snooze or gab’?
The clue for ‘Suffix with snooze or gab’ in today’s Midi Crossword is “Add it to a word to mean a big gathering or event.”
Is the NYT Midi Crossword free to play?
No, the Midi is a subscriber-exclusive game. You need a New York Times Games subscription or a Home Delivery subscription to play.
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Daksha Gupta
Rishabh Sabarwal
Sanmay Chakrabarti
