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 “Tipping the Scales” on August 7, 2026.
NYT Midi Crossword Hints and Answers Today for August 7
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’s 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 August 7, 2026, which carries the theme – Tipping the Scales:
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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.
1Michelangelo sculpture in the Vatican
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Hint 1:
It shows Mary cradling the body of Jesus
Hint 2:
You can find this marble masterpiece in St. Peter's Basilica
6Winged nocturnal animal
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Hint 1:
It's famous for its "who-who" call
Hint 2:
This bird can turn its head almost all the way around
9Milk source on a dairy cow
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Hint 1:
It hangs beneath the animal's belly
Hint 2:
Farmers milk this part of the cow twice daily
10___ de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
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Hint 1:
This Mexican holiday features sugar skulls and marigolds
Hint 2:
It's celebrated right after Halloween, on Nov. 1–2
11What covers the eyes of 8-Down/17-Across
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Hint 1:
Used in games like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey
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It represents impartiality in a famous statue
13Rep.'s counterpart in Congress
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Hint 1:
Abbreviation for a member of the upper chamber
Hint 2:
Think Senate, not House
14Ahead of schedule
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Hint 1:
The opposite of running late
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"The ___ bird catches the worm"
15Check point?
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Hint 1:
A place where you'd deposit money
Hint 2:
Your checkbook is linked to this institution
17See 8-Down
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Hint 1:
Courts exist to deliver this
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Symbolized by a set of scales
20"Pulled" barbecue meat
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Hint 1:
Often comes from a pig
Hint 2:
A staple of Southern barbecue sandwiches
21Affirmative head motions
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Hint 1:
A silent way to say "yes"
Hint 2:
A gesture of agreement without speaking
23Jelly bean-filled plastic holiday toys
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Hint 1:
Kids hunt for these every spring
Hint 2:
They come in bright pastel colors, hidden in grass
24"Abracadabra" singer Lady ___
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Hint 1:
She once wore a meat dress to an awards show
Hint 2:
Known for hits like "Bad Romance" and "Poker Face"
25Remnant of a cigar
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Hint 1:
This gray residue also comes from a fireplace
Hint 2:
Volcanoes spew this too
26Superman enemy ___ Luthor
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Hint 1:
A bald genius businessman villain
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Superman's arch-nemesis in Metropolis
1British taverns
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Hint 1:
You'd order a pint of ale here
Hint 2:
Common social gathering spots across the UK
2Doing nothing
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Hint 1:
The opposite of being busy
Hint 2:
A car engine can do this while parked, running but not moving
3City that's home to the National Museum of Scotland
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Hint 1:
Hosts a famous arts festival every August
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Scotland's capital, known for its hilltop castle
4Cube root of 1,000
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Hint 1:
A perfect score in gymnastics
Hint 2:
10 × 10 × 10 equals 1,000
5Passionate
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Hint 1:
Describes an enthusiastic fan or supporter
Hint 2:
Someone deeply devoted to a cause
6Smell from a garbage truck
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Hint 1:
Deodorant is meant to fight this
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Often unpleasant and lingering
7Document that says "I hereby bequeath …"
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Hint 1:
A lawyer helps draft this before someone passes away
Hint 2:
It decides who inherits a person's belongings
8With 17-Across, paragon of fairness
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Hint 1:
A respectful title placed before a woman's name, like "___ Gaga" or "___ Diana"
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The polite counterpart to "gentleman"
12Putting on an act
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Hint 1:
Pretending to be sick to skip school
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Not being genuine about your true feelings
16Inquires (about)
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What you do when you have a question
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Journalists do this during interviews
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Hint 1:
A common morning exercise routine
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Slower than sprinting, faster than walking
18What Santa gives naughty children
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Hint 1:
A black, rock-like fossil fuel
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Said to end up in stockings instead of gifts
19Sharp part of a sword
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Hint 1:
The cutting side of a blade
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Also means a competitive advantage
20Little green vegetable
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Hint 1:
Found in a pod, often paired with carrots
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A princess famously felt one under her mattress
22Instrument that might be used as the "J" in a "Jazz Club" sign
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Hint 1:
A curvy brass instrument played with a reed
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Popular in jazz bands, often held at an angle
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 2 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 stayed on the easier side, with quick fills like OWL, ASH, and SEN falling into place right away. Longer answers, such as EDINBURGH and ARDENT, took a few extra crossings to nail down, but nothing felt like a genuine struggle.
The standout was the LADY and JUSTICE combo crossing BLINDFOLD, a clever bit of wordplay that gave the puzzle some flavor without adding real difficulty. Overall, it was a quick, satisfying solve.
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. The theme for yesterday’s Midi was “Hello, Sailor!” 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.
1Avoided an infielder's tag, maybe
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Hint 1:
Think baseball: what a runner does feet-first into a base
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Past tense of the move a player makes to beat a throw
5Teacher's evaluation
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Hint 1:
What you might dread before report cards come out
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A pop quiz is a small version of this
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Hint 1:
What your legs do near the end of a marathon
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To run out of energy or steam
10Important time periods
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Hint 1:
The Renaissance and the Ice Age are each an example
Hint 2:
Geological or historical chapters, plural
11___ Erikson, noted 11th-century explorer
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Norse voyager said to have reached North America before Columbus
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A Minnesota statue and several U.S. place names honor this explorer
12___ the Red, noted 10th-century explorer
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Founded the first Norse settlement in Greenland
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Father of the explorer in the clue above
13Function
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Hint 1:
What something is "for"
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"What's the ___ of this gadget?"
14Nonverbal "yes"
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Hint 1:
A single head movement meaning agreement
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Doing this instead of saying "sure"
15___ the Horrible, comics character with a horned helmet
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Hint 1:
Long-running newspaper strip about a bumbling Viking
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His wife in the strip is named Helga
17Altoids holder
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Hint 1:
Small metal box that breath mints often come in
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Also the material used for sardine cans
18Popular Norwegian soccer celebration in which fans pretend to operate longships … or a description of each shaded line in this puzzle?
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Hint 1:
Fans in the stands mime pulling oars together
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A stadium chant popular in Norwegian football culture
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Hint 1:
Toss one over your shoulder into the water
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Piggy banks are full of these
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Hint 1:
Every straight edge of a polygon counts as one
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A stop sign (octagon) has eight of these; this shape has fewer
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Hint 1:
The horizontal bar you put your foot on while climbing
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Also used figuratively, as in climbing the corporate one
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Hint 1:
Dancing "en pointe" means standing on these
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The very tips of your feet
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Hint 1:
Home of the Gateway Arch, shortened
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Missouri city's postal-style abbreviation
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Hint 1:
Means "in place of" something else
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Pairs with "of" to mean "as a substitute"
3From Kilkenny or Kildare
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Hint 1:
Both are counties on an island known for shamrocks
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Nationality associated with Dublin
4Vanquishing
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Hint 1:
What a champion does to every challenger, in the process of winning
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Overcoming an opponent so thoroughly it's not even close
5Cause of adolescent rebellion, perhaps
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Hint 1:
That moody, misunderstood feeling many people associate with high school
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A common theme in coming-of-age movies and diary entries
6404 Not Found, e.g.
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A common web browser message when a page won't load
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Computer glitch or mistake
7Uttered
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Hint 1:
Past tense of speaking a word aloud
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What quotation marks usually follow
8Reprimanding sound
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The clicking noise made with disapproval
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Often written doubled for emphasis
16___ and tonic
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Classic drink garnished with a lime wedge
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Juniper-flavored spirit
18Pre-streaming device, in brief
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Used to record shows onto tape before DVR existed
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You'd rewind a cassette in this machine
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Hint 1:
Informal written promise of debt
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Sounds like "I owe you"
20Fam, formerly
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Hint 1:
Old-fashioned word for relatives
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"Next of ___" is a common legal phrase
21___ de Janeiro
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Hint 1:
Brazilian city famous for Carnival and a giant statue of Christ
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Host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics
22Poem of lofty praise
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Hint 1:
A tribute written in verse, like "___ to Joy"
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Keats wrote several famous ones
23Director Anderson
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Filmmaker known for symmetrical shots and pastel colors
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Directed "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
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 August 7, 2026, is ”Tipping the Scales”.
What is the hint for the August 7 NYT Midi Crossword ‘Check point?’?
The clue for ‘Check point?’ in today’s Midi Crossword is “A place where you’d deposit money”.
What is the hint for the August 7 NYT Midi Crossword “Affirmative head motions”?
The clue for “Affirmative head motions” in today’s Midi Crossword is “A silent way to say ‘yes'”.
What is the hint for August 7 NYT Midi Crossword ‘City that’s home to the National Museum of Scotland’?
The clue for ‘Pre-streaming device, in brief’ in today’s Midi Crossword is “Hosts a famous arts festival every August”.
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.
NYT Midi Crossword (also known as The Midi) is the perfect balance between the traditional longer Crossword and the quicker Mini. It gives you enough challenge, while not taking too much time to solve. Like other NYT games, this daily […]
Sanmay Chakrabarti
