The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)

Latest answer — September 15, 2026

8 Down

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Clue explained

A CLIFFHANGER is a suspenseful ending that leaves the audience waiting to learn what happens next. Here the answer is also a meta-reference: reading the puzzle’s circled letters from top to bottom produces CLIFFHANGER, while LOST and DALLAS provide the two classic examples named by their clues.

Clue type:
Cross-reference
A simple illustration representing a suspenseful cliffhanger ending

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 15, 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. 1Guest contributor's column
  2. 5Shortcut for "copy," on a PC keyboard
  3. 9What hearts may represent in video games
  4. 11Historical period
  5. 12Otherworldly creature
  6. 13Haul
  7. 14Chew the ___ (chitchat)
  8. 152000s ABC drama with a classic 8-Down ("We have to go back!")
  9. 17Ma, pa, sibs, etc.
  10. 19Org. behind the "Speaking of Science" podcast
  11. 20Honolulu's island
  12. 22Prime-time soap opera with a classic 8-Down ("Who shot J.R.?")
  13. 24Fully committed
  14. 25Forbid from leaving the house, as a teen
  15. 26Actress Witherspoon
  16. 27Jeopardizes

Down

  1. 1"Frozen" snowman
  2. 2Fluffy rice dish
  3. 3Musical about a former first lady of Argentina
  4. 4Barely passing grade
  5. 5"Live Fit" energy drink brand
  6. 6"Fiction is the ___ inside the lie": Stephen King
  7. 7Cleaning cloth
  8. 8The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)
  9. 10Show that once featured Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, for short
  10. 16Available
  11. 18Snail, squid or scallop
  12. 21Dresses with fitted tops and flared bottoms
  13. 22"Too risky for me?"
  14. 23Soothing succulents
  15. 25[This is SO frustrating!]

The answer to “The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)” in the New York Times Midi crossword is CLIFFHANGER — a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 15, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 8-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.

“The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)” answer

CLIFFHANGER (11 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is CLIFFHANGER.

What does CLIFFHANGER mean?

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

(noun)

  • a dramatic and exciting ending to an episode of a serial, leaving the audience in suspense and anxious not to miss the next episode

When else has “The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)” 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 15, 2026 (most recent) → CLIFFHANGER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)”?

The answer is CLIFFHANGER, a 11-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)”?

11 letters: CLIFFHANGER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on September 15, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 8-Down.

Can “The suspenseful, can't-wait-to-see-what-comes-next ending to this puzzle (read the circled letters from top to bottom!)” 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 this day's NYT Midi answers?

The full grid for September 15, 2026 is on the NYT Midi answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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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