Our NYT Midi Crossword Hints for May 22, 2026 will help you work your way through the mid-size grid if a clue has you stumped. The New York Times Midi Crossword sits between the Mini and the full-sized puzzle in both size and difficulty, offering a satisfying challenge without the time commitment of the daily 15×15. It’s designed for solvers who want something meatier than the Mini but still approachable enough to finish in a short session. The Midi is published daily online and has become a favorite for players looking to sharpen their skills.
NYT Midi Crossword Hints, May 22, 2026
Below you’ll find hints for every clue in the NYT Midi Crossword for 5/22/26. You can click or tap on any clue to jump to its dedicated page for more detail, including definitions and additional guidance. If you prefer a lighter nudge, you can reveal letters one at a time to keep the puzzle challenging without giving away the full answer immediately.
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1A. Shower alternative
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5A. Spa treatment that might feature nail art, for short
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9A. ___ sabzi (potato curry)
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10A. English river that means "river" in Celtic languages
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11A. Screech
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12A. Champagne bottle projectile
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13A. Ships off
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15A. It's about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen
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16A. Longtime host of "The Joy of Painting" whose work is the basis of this puzzle's theme
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20A. Two-sided
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21A. Not just a want
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23A. Pain that may be helped by stretching
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24A. Stitching line
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25A. East Lansing sch
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26A. "u would be doing me a big favor :prayer-hands:"
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1D. Howls at the moon
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2D. Soothing gel ingredient
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3D. Village relative
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4D. Fitting comfortably in one's hands
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5D. French desserts that look like tiny colorful hamburgers
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6D. Promise
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7D. Ephron who directed "You've Got Mail"
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8D. Like a leaky pen
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14D. "For once, maybe someone will call me '___' without adding 'You're making a scene'": Homer Simpson
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16D. N.F.L. athletes with a pirate flag logo, for short
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17D. Most populous Hawaiian island
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18D. Flow like sap
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19D. Animal often confused with a sea lion
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20D. Water stopper
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22D. Slack convos
If you enjoy the Midi, you might also like stepping up to the full NYT Crossword, which offers a deeper challenge with its 15×15 weekday grids and the larger 21×21 Sunday puzzle. New crosswords are released at 10PM ET on weekdays and 6PM ET on weekends.
If you’re still struggling to solve your NYT crosswords, consider practicing with the Eugene Sheffer and Thomas Joseph dailies first. If you’re looking for similarly challenging crosswords, we recommend the WSJ Crossword and LA Times Crossword.
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