Not strict

Latest answer — March 31, 2026

9 Across

Easygoing and not too rigid 😌

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, March 31, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Hoped-for blackjack card
  2. 4Hershey's Kiss wrappers
  3. 9Not strict
  4. 10Winged figure in da Vinci's "Annunciation"
  5. 11Network that lost the Oscar broadcast rights to YouTube, starting in 2029 [1-3]
  6. 12Airline with a mega-hub in Atlanta [4-5]
  7. 13___ before beauty
  8. 15Openly gay
  9. 16Soothing ointment [12-13]
  10. 18"Ain't gonna happen" [14-16]
  11. 19Wintertime hanger-on
  12. 21Spot for a bath
  13. 22Video game pioneer that created Pong
  14. 26___ Feiner, sports handicapper/media personality [19-21]
  15. 27German-made "hippie-mobile," for short [22-23]
  16. 28"Quit ___ yappin'!"
  17. 29On the open ocean

Down

  1. 1___ carte
  2. 2Certain red wine, informally
  3. 3King Arthur's magical sword
  4. 4Lessen in brightness
  5. 541 - 23 - 17 = ?
  6. 6Big name in coolers
  7. 7Abate
  8. 8Chalkboard material
  9. 14Maker of the Sierra and Canyon pickup trucks
  10. 16Really small, informally
  11. 17Less than 90°, as an angle
  12. 18Value on a cereal box label: Abbr.
  13. 20The floor is ___ (kids' game)
  14. 23Sit-up muscles
  15. 24Regret
  16. 25"Patience ___ virtue"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Hoped-for blackjack card — Answer: ACE
  2. 4. Hershey's Kiss wrappers — Answer: FOILS
  3. 9. Not strict — Answer: LAX. Hint: Easygoing and not too rigid 😌
  4. 10. Winged figure in da Vinci's "Annunciation" — Answer: ANGEL
  5. 11. Network that lost the Oscar broadcast rights to YouTube, starting in 2029 [1-3] — Answer: ABC
  6. 12. Airline with a mega-hub in Atlanta [4-5] — Answer: DELTA
  7. 13. ___ before beauty — Answer: AGE
  8. 15. Openly gay — Answer: OUT
  9. 16. Soothing ointment [12-13] — Answer: BALM
  10. 18. "Ain't gonna happen" [14-16] — Answer: NOPE
  11. 19. Wintertime hanger-on — Answer: ICICLE
  12. 21. Spot for a bath — Answer: TUB
  13. 22. Video game pioneer that created Pong — Answer: ATARI
  14. 26. ___ Feiner, sports handicapper/media personality [19-21] — Answer: STU
  15. 27. German-made "hippie-mobile," for short [22-23] — Answer: VWBUS
  16. 28. "Quit ___ yappin'!" — Answer: YER
  17. 29. On the open ocean — Answer: ATSEA

Down

  1. 1. ___ carte — Answer: ALA. Hint: This phrase refers to ordering dishes individually from a menu, not as a set! 🍽️
  2. 2. Certain red wine, informally — Answer: CAB
  3. 3. King Arthur's magical sword — Answer: EXCALIBUR
  4. 4. Lessen in brightness — Answer: FADE
  5. 5. 41 - 23 - 17 = ? — Answer: ONE
  6. 6. Big name in coolers — Answer: IGLOO
  7. 7. Abate — Answer: LETUP
  8. 8. Chalkboard material — Answer: SLATE
  9. 14. Maker of the Sierra and Canyon pickup trucks — Answer: GMC
  10. 16. Really small, informally — Answer: BITSY
  11. 17. Less than 90°, as an angle — Answer: ACUTE
  12. 18. Value on a cereal box label: Abbr. — Answer: NETWT
  13. 20. The floor is ___ (kids' game) — Answer: LAVA. Hint: Watch your step in this fun game where the ground is off-limits! 🌋
  14. 23. Sit-up muscles — Answer: ABS
  15. 24. Regret — Answer: RUE. Hint: Sometimes, when we look back, we might feel a little sad about our choices. 😔
  16. 25. "Patience ___ virtue" — Answer: ISA

Recent NYT Midi Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Not strict” in the New York Times Midi crossword is LAX — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on March 31, 2026 at 9-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.

“Not strict” answer

LAX (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 LAX.

Why the answer is LAX

Easygoing and not too rigid 😌

When else has “Not strict” 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.

March 31, 2026 (most recent) → LAX. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More NYT Midi answers for March 31, 2026

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the NYT Midi on March 31, 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 March 31, 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 “Not strict”?

The answer is LAX, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on March 31, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Not strict”?

3 letters: LAX.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on March 31, 2026, at 9-Across.

Can “Not strict” 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.

Crossword Clues

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