Sci-fi saga with sandworms

Latest answer — August 27, 2026

1 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

DUNE is the science-fiction saga set on the desert planet Arrakis, where giant sandworms play a central role. The clue uses a defining detail rather than naming the author or characters.

Clue type:
Pop culture
A giant sandworm emerging from the desert in a Dune-inspired scene

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 27, 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. 1Sci-fi saga with sandworms
  2. 5High-maintenance headliner
  3. 9Gadget pitched as "1,000 songs in your pocket"
  4. 10Big heads
  5. 11Does some light running
  6. 12Spy within an organization
  7. 13Yoko from Tokyo
  8. 14Entry-level Volkswagen sedan
  9. 15Entry-level MacBook that debuted in 2026
  10. 16Grain in an açaí bowl
  11. 17Lil Jon's collaborator on "Turn Down for What" ... or a hint to the animal made by connecting the circled letters in this puzzle?
  12. 21Biblical figure swallowed by a big swimmer
  13. 23Slim ___ (meat stick)
  14. 24Sheep-related
  15. 25Stately shade tree
  16. 26Made some cookies, e.g.
  17. 27North Pole export

Down

  1. 1Mustard variety with bite
  2. 2Winning by a very small margin
  3. 3Scoundrel
  4. 4Magazine staffers, for short
  5. 5Discredit
  6. 6"See you later!"
  7. 7What "V" stands for on a battery
  8. 8On the ocean
  9. 14Kidded around
  10. 18___ Goodall, noted chimpanzee expert
  11. 19Approximately 2.2 pounds, for short
  12. 20The "E" of EGOT
  13. 21Cosmologist or cosmetologist
  14. 22Reproductive cells

The answer to “Sci-fi saga with sandworms” in the New York Times Midi crossword is DUNE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 27, 2026 at 1-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.

“Sci-fi saga with sandworms” answer

DUNE (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 DUNE.

What does DUNE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a mound or ridge of sand or other loose sediment formed by the wind, especially on the sea coast or in a desert

When else has “Sci-fi saga with sandworms” 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 27, 2026 (most recent) → DUNE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Sci-fi saga with sandworms”?

The answer is DUNE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 27, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Sci-fi saga with sandworms”?

4 letters: DUNE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 27, 2026, at 1-Across.

Can “Sci-fi saga with sandworms” 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.