"Only playing with you!"

Editorially verified for the Sep 30, 2026

20 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Two friends smiling and laughing during a lighthearted conversation.

Clue explained

“I kid” is a casual way to say “I’m joking” or “I’m only teasing.” The exclamation mark makes the clue sound like a playful spoken reassurance; the grid writes the phrase without a space.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, September 30, 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. 1School stat
  2. 4Gently apply
  3. 7Hawaiian neckwear
  4. 8Gardener's watering aid
  5. 9Screw up
  6. 10Like a tooth that's barely attached
  7. 11To the ___ degree
  8. 12"Baseball is 90% mental. The ___ half is physical" (quote attributed to Yogi Berra)
  9. 13Whiskey barrel material
  10. 15Org. with auditors
  11. 16To the point
  12. 19Signs, as an important document
  13. 20"Only playing with you!"
  14. 22Dessert slice that a Trivial Pursuit game token resembles
  15. 23Big name in jeans
  16. 24Muddy enclosure
  17. 25Observed

Down

  1. 1Powell of 2025's "The Running Man"
  2. 2Cheeky
  3. 3Tabletop game with a plastic puck
  4. 4Thingamajig
  5. 5Not shy about speaking one's mind
  6. 6Sudsy six-pack
  7. 8Like a ghost pepper
  8. 10Mischievous Norse god ... or a homophonic hint to the ends of 3- and 4-Down
  9. 14Cooling appliances: Abbr.
  10. 16Nurses, as some 6-Down
  11. 17Absolute ___ (slang term for an exceptionally muscular person)
  12. 18River in Egypt
  13. 21"Why ___ the chicken cross the road?"

The answer to “"Only playing with you!"” in the New York Times Midi crossword is IKID — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 30, 2026 at 20-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.

“"Only playing with you!"” answer

IKID (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 IKID.

When else has “"Only playing with you!"” 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.

September 30, 2026 (most recent) → IKID. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Only playing with you!"”?

The answer is IKID, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 30, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Only playing with you!"”?

4 letters: IKID.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 30, 2026, at 20-Across.

Can “"Only playing with you!"” 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.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.