Mystery in the sky, in brief

Editorially verified for the Aug 22, 2026

24 Down

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A mysterious unidentified object silhouetted against a night sky

Clue explained

UFO is the standard abbreviation for “unidentified flying object,” a mysterious object observed in the sky. “In brief” indicates that the answer should be an abbreviation.

Clue type:
Abbreviation

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 22, 2026 appearance

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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?"

The answer to “Mystery in the sky, in brief” in the New York Times Midi crossword is UFO — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 22, 2026 at 24-Down. 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.

“Mystery in the sky, in brief” answer

UFO (3 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 UFO.

What does UFO mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of UFO is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • a mysterious object seen in the sky for which it is claimed no orthodox scientific explanation can be found, often supposed to be a vehicle carrying extraterrestrials

When else has “Mystery in the sky, in brief” 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) → UFO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Mystery in the sky, in brief”?

The answer is UFO, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 22, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Mystery in the sky, in brief”?

3 letters: UFO.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 22, 2026, at 24-Down.

Can “Mystery in the sky, in brief” 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.

New York Times Midi Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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