Santa's little helper

Editorially verified for the Sep 29, 2026

11 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

A Christmas elf working in Santa’s workshop.

Clue explained

An elf is the traditional small helper who assists Santa Claus with Christmas preparations. The singular form matches “Santa’s little helper.”

Clue type:
Definition

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 29, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Music media that followed cassettes
  2. 4Book jacket blurbs
  3. 8Tony-winning actress ___ Salonga
  4. 9Lounged around and did nothing
  5. 11Santa's little helper
  6. 12Event that's full of bull?
  7. 13Grassy expanse
  8. 15They're flashed at bouncers
  9. 16Expert archer in the Marvel Universe portrayed by Jeremy Renner
  10. 18Bean harvested to make chocolate
  11. 19Fit neatly together
  12. 22Pub pintful
  13. 23Coagulate
  14. 24Forbid
  15. 25Round of applause

Down

  1. 1Music staff symbol
  2. 2Supermarket section where you might hear "Now serving ..."
  3. 3Sanctuary
  4. 4What some Audubon Society members do with binoculars ... or a hint to 16- and 19-Across?
  5. 5Ceremonial words
  6. 6An ___ but a goodie
  7. 7Like a run-down joint
  8. 10Two tablets, maybe
  9. 14String in a skate or a hoodie
  10. 17Marsupial that can sleep about 20 hours a day
  11. 18Flavor of some bottle-shaped gummies
  12. 19Little bit of cream
  13. 20Charged particle
  14. 21Business name abbreviation, in Britain

The answer to “Santa's little helper” in the New York Times Midi crossword is ELF — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 29, 2026 at 11-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.

“Santa's little helper” answer

ELF (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 ELF.

What does ELF mean?

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

(noun)

  • a supernatural creature of folk tales, typically represented as a small, delicate, elusive figure in human form with pointed ears, magical powers, and a capricious nature

When else has “Santa's little helper” 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 29, 2026 (most recent) → ELF. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Santa's little helper”?

The answer is ELF, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Santa's little helper”?

3 letters: ELF.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 29, 2026, at 11-Across.

Can “Santa's little helper” 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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