Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares

Latest answer — August 22, 2026

29 Across

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Clue decoded

Pool is the cue sport in which a player sinks balls into pockets. Here, “this puzzle’s circled squares” refers to the specially marked central squares as if they were balls to sink.

Clue type:
Cross-reference
A billiards table with colored balls and a ball dropping into a pocket.

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 22, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1TikTok and Twitch
  2. 5Associations, for short
  3. 9Word meaning bland that shares the first three letters of "bland"
  4. 10Wander about
  5. 11Attract with bait
  6. 12Furry red resident of Sesame Street
  7. 13Superlative suffix
  8. 14A flamingo often stands on just one
  9. 15Solid-colored items used in 29-Across (number them in order!)
  10. 19Vehicle one might "catch"
  11. 20"Ciao for now!"
  12. 23Big brass instrument
  13. 27One who's hero-worshiped
  14. 28Admiring from ___
  15. 29Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares
  16. 30Capital to which "all roads lead"

Down

  1. 1In a good position (to)
  2. 2Unnamed guest on an R.S.V.P., say
  3. 3Sequel
  4. 4That lady
  5. 5Mine cart contents
  6. 6Go from Free Parking to Atlantic Avenue, in Monopoly
  7. 7Dramatic end to the World Series
  8. 8Urban air pollution
  9. 16Golf match format for a trio
  10. 17Prince's "I Would Die ___"
  11. 18Top-rated, as a hotel or restaurant
  12. 20Little piece of advice
  13. 21Big fuss about nothing
  14. 22Also
  15. 24Mystery in the sky, in brief
  16. 25Noise made by a collision
  17. 26"___ we having fun yet?"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. TikTok and Twitch — Answer: APPS. Hint: These services live on your smartphone or tablet 📱
  2. 5. Associations, for short — Answer: ORGS. Hint: A brief label for organized groups 🤝
  3. 9. Word meaning bland that shares the first three letters of "bland" — Answer: BLAH. Hint: A casual way to describe something dull or flavorless 😐
  4. 10. Wander about — Answer: ROAM. Hint: Move around without a fixed destination 🚶
  5. 11. Attract with bait — Answer: LURE. Hint: Tempt someone or something closer with an enticing offer 🎣
  6. 12. Furry red resident of Sesame Street — Answer: ELMO. Hint: This cheerful monster loves his own name and bright red fur ❤️
  7. 13. Superlative suffix — Answer: EST. Hint: Think of how you might describe the best of the best! 🏆
  8. 14. A flamingo often stands on just one — Answer: LEG. Hint: A single support for a famously balanced bird 🦩
  9. 15. Solid-colored items used in 29-Across (number them in order!) — Answer: 1234567
  10. 19. Vehicle one might "catch" — Answer: BUS. Hint: A common ride you can wait for at a stop 🚍
  11. 20. "Ciao for now!" — Answer: TATA. Hint: A playful way to say goodbye for the moment 👋
  12. 23. Big brass instrument — Answer: TUBA. Hint: Think of the deep, booming brass instrument often heard anchoring a marching band. 🎺
  13. 27. One who's hero-worshiped — Answer: IDOL. Hint: Someone admired as an ideal or superstar 🌟
  14. 28. Admiring from ___ — Answer: AFAR. Hint: Watching appreciatively from a distance 🔭
  15. 29. Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares — Answer: POOL. Hint: A cue-and-balls game where sinking targets is the goal 🎱
  16. 30. Capital to which "all roads lead" — Answer: ROME. Hint: The famous ancient destination at the center of that saying 🏛️

Down

  1. 1. In a good position (to) — Answer: ABLE. Hint: Ready and equipped to handle the task at hand. 👍
  2. 2. Unnamed guest on an R.S.V.P., say — Answer: PLUS1. Hint: This extra attendee is included without being individually named. 🎟️
  3. 3. Sequel — Answer: PART2. Hint: A later installment continues the story. 📖
  4. 4. That lady — Answer: SHE. Hint: Think of a word that refers to a female without using her name. 💁‍♀️
  5. 5. Mine cart contents — Answer: ORE. Hint: The cart carries valuable material dug from underground. ⛏️
  6. 6. Go from Free Parking to Atlantic Avenue, in Monopoly — Answer: ROLL6. Hint: Let the dice determine your next move across the board. 🎲
  7. 7. Dramatic end to the World Series — Answer: GAME7. Hint: The championship reaches its decisive final contest. 🏆
  8. 8. Urban air pollution — Answer: SMOG. Hint: A murky haze hangs over a busy city. 🌫️
  9. 16. Golf match format for a trio — Answer: 3BALL. Hint: Three golfers compete by using the strongest shot among them. ⛳
  10. 17. Prince's "I Would Die ___" — Answer: 4U
  11. 18. Top-rated, as a hotel or restaurant — Answer: 5STAR. Hint: A prestigious rating places it among the finest. ⭐
  12. 20. Little piece of advice — Answer: TIP. Hint: A brief helpful suggestion can point you in the right direction. 💡
  13. 21. Big fuss about nothing — Answer: ADO. Hint: It is much commotion over something trivial. 😱
  14. 22. Also — Answer: TOO. Hint: This word adds another person or thing to the thought. ➕
  15. 24. Mystery in the sky, in brief — Answer: UFO. Hint: An unidentified object is spotted overhead. 🛸
  16. 25. Noise made by a collision — Answer: BAM. Hint: A comic-book-style impact sound fits the crash. 💥
  17. 26. "___ we having fun yet?" — Answer: ARE. Hint: This helping verb completes the playful question. 😄

Recent NYT Midi Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

NYT Midi 21 August 2026NYT Midi 20 August 2026NYT Midi 19 August 2026NYT Midi 18 August 2026NYT Midi 17 August 2026NYT Midi 16 August 2026NYT Midi 15 August 2026

The answer to “Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares” in the New York Times Midi crossword is POOL — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 22, 2026 at 29-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares” answer

POOL (4 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's POOL.

When else has “Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares” appeared?

New York Times Midi reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 22, 2026 (most recent) → POOL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More NYT Midi answers for August 22, 2026

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the NYT Midi on August 22, 2026 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.

Across

Down

Want the whole grid in one place? The full NYT Midi answer list for August 22, 2026 is on the puzzle's answers page, and today's live NYT Midi answers are always one click away from the today page.

About the NYT Midi Crossword

The New York Times Midi is the mid-size daily puzzle between the Mini and the full crossword — typically a 7×7 grid that still rewards quick pattern recognition. Because the Midi is compact, one stubborn clue can jam the whole solve, which is why a confirmed answer and a short explanation help most when you're stuck on a single square.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares”?

The answer is POOL, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 22, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares”?

4 letters: POOL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 22, 2026, at 29-Across.

Can “Game in which you might sink this puzzle's circled squares” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times Midi sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of today's NYT Midi answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the NYT Midi answers page.

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