This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?

Latest answer — October 08, 2026

11 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

A butterfly with patterned wings, viewed from above.

Clue explained

A bug collector might see a butterfly in the puzzle’s inkblot: the clue asks you to imagine the image through that viewer’s interests. A butterfly is an insect with four wings, whose colors and patterns come from tiny scales covering them. It also undergoes a dramatic metamorphosis, developing from a caterpillar inside a chrysalis before emerging as an adult. That life cycle makes it one of the most striking insects a collector might hope to spot.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Thursday, October 08, 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. 1"Will you permit me, please?"
  2. 5Top-level bosses, informally
  3. 9Ready for business
  4. 10Landed (on)
  5. 11This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?
  6. 13Firefighter's tool
  7. 14Someone enjoying the slopes
  8. 16... to a NASCAR fan?
  9. 20Card game with Skip and Reverse cards
  10. 21___/her pronouns
  11. 22With 23-Across ... to a circus clown?
  12. 23See 22-Across
  13. 24Long-running NBC sketch show, for short
  14. 25DoorDash or Duolingo

Down

  1. 1"The Godfather" group, with "the"
  2. 2Kwik-E-Mart storekeeper on "The Simpsons"
  3. 3"So close, ___ so far"
  4. 4Amount consumed
  5. 5Professional path
  6. 6Film with the line "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear"
  7. 7Lubricate
  8. 8Hangout for hogs
  9. 12Illuminated sign in movie theaters
  10. 14Make a frowny expression
  11. 15Worshiper of Jah
  12. 16Massage parlor offerings
  13. 17Unknown source, informally
  14. 18Nvidia product
  15. 19Hold on to

The answer to “This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?” in the New York Times Midi crossword is BUTTERFLY — a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 8, 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.

“This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?” answer

BUTTERFLY (9 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 BUTTERFLY.

What does BUTTERFLY mean?

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

(noun)

  • a nectar-feeding insect with two pairs of large, typically brightly coloured wings that are covered with microscopic scales. Butterflies are distinguished from moths by having clubbed or dilated antennae, holding their wings erect when at rest, and being active by day
  • a showy or frivolous person
  • a fluttering and nauseous sensation felt in the stomach when one is nervous

When else has “This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?” 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.

October 8, 2026 (most recent) → BUTTERFLY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?”?

The answer is BUTTERFLY, a 9-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?”?

9 letters: BUTTERFLY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on October 8, 2026, at 11-Across.

Can “This puzzle's inkblot image ... to a bug collector?” 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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