Winter bug

Latest answer — August 15, 2026

4 Down

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Clue decoded

The flu is a common illness that often spreads during winter, making it a “winter bug.” FLU is the familiar shortened form of influenza.

Clue type:
Abbreviation
A sick person with a thermometer during winter

NYT Midi Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 15, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1What a spare key is often hidden under
  2. 4Little ___ (kid's nickname)
  3. 9Continent with lions and hyenas: Abbr.
  4. 10Sour green fruits
  5. 11Accusatory cry
  6. 12Not up to the job
  7. 13Obama's predecessor
  8. 15In the past
  9. 16Musician who co-composed the song from "The Lion King" suggested in this puzzle
  10. 19See 21-Down
  11. 20Two dots above a vowel, as in Brontë and naïve
  12. 25Org. defending individual rights
  13. 26Land of Lima (and llamas)
  14. 27App with restaurant reviews
  15. 28"The Lion King" villain

Down

  1. 1Parent's response that sometimes means "I'm stalling, but no"
  2. 2Run ___ of (clash with)
  3. 3Corporate team-building exercise
  4. 4Winter bug
  5. 5German "a"
  6. 6Texter's "That's hilarious!"
  7. 7Vivien ___, Oscar winner for "Gone With the Wind"
  8. 8___ Martin (sports car)
  9. 14Take shelter in a safe place
  10. 17Neither's partner
  11. 18Wrangler and Grand Wagoneer
  12. 20The "15" of 8/15/26, e.g.
  13. 21With 19-Across, floating chunk in the Arctic Ocean
  14. 22Triple ___ (margarita ingredient)
  15. 23Appropriate missing letters in RET_ _EMENT PL_N
  16. 24Spanish for "south"

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. What a spare key is often hidden under — Answer: MAT. Hint: Check the small floor covering by a doorway. 🚪
  2. 4. Little ___ (kid's nickname) — Answer: FELLA. Hint: Complete this friendly nickname for a young boy. 🧒
  3. 9. Continent with lions and hyenas: Abbr. — Answer: AFR. Hint: Use the common three-letter abbreviation for the continent known for its safari wildlife. 🦁
  4. 10. Sour green fruits — Answer: LIMES. Hint: These tart citrus fruits are often squeezed into drinks. 🍋
  5. 11. Accusatory cry — Answer: YOU. Hint: This pointed shout directs blame at another person. 👉
  6. 12. Not up to the job — Answer: UNFIT. Hint: This describes someone or something unsuitable for a task. 🚫
  7. 13. Obama's predecessor — Answer: BUSH. Hint: Think of the president who occupied the White House before Obama. 🇺🇸
  8. 15. In the past — Answer: AGO. Hint: A little while back, not now 😌
  9. 16. Musician who co-composed the song from "The Lion King" suggested in this puzzle — Answer: ELTONJOHN. Hint: This flamboyant British singer-songwriter helped create a famous animated-film anthem. 🎹
  10. 19. See 21-Down — Answer: FLOE. Hint: Think of a flat piece of floating sea ice. 🧊
  11. 20. Two dots above a vowel, as in Brontë and naïve — Answer: DIAERESIS. Hint: This diacritic uses a pair of dots to show separate vowel sounds. ¨
  12. 25. Org. defending individual rights — Answer: ACLU. Hint: This well-known American group advocates for civil liberties. ⚖️
  13. 26. Land of Lima (and llamas) — Answer: PERU. Hint: This South American country is home to Lima and the Andes. 🦙
  14. 27. App with restaurant reviews — Answer: YELP. Hint: Use this popular platform to browse diner ratings and comments. ⭐
  15. 28. "The Lion King" villain — Answer: SCAR. Hint: This character is known for his cunning ways and a very memorable song about being in the shadows. 🦁

Down

  1. 1. Parent's response that sometimes means "I'm stalling, but no" — Answer: MAYBE. Hint: This noncommittal reply keeps the door open without promising anything. 🤷
  2. 2. Run ___ of (clash with) — Answer: AFOUL. Hint: This phrase means to come into conflict with someone or something. ⚡
  3. 3. Corporate team-building exercise — Answer: TRUSTFALL. Hint: This famously vulnerable group activity asks teammates to catch one another. 🤝
  4. 4. Winter bug — Answer: FLU. Hint: A seasonal illness that can leave you feverish and achy. 🤒
  5. 5. German "a" — Answer: EIN. Hint: This tiny German article means “a” in English. 🇩🇪
  6. 6. Texter's "That's hilarious!" — Answer: LMFAO. Hint: This exaggerated texting reaction signals that something is extremely funny. 😂
  7. 7. Vivien ___, Oscar winner for "Gone With the Wind" — Answer: LEIGH. Hint: She played Scarlett O’Hara in the classic Civil War–era film. 🎬
  8. 8. ___ Martin (sports car) — Answer: ASTON. Hint: This marque lends its name to a sleek British sports car. 🏎️
  9. 14. Take shelter in a safe place — Answer: HOLEUP. Hint: It means to retreat somewhere secure and stay there. 🛡️
  10. 17. Neither's partner — Answer: NOR. Hint: Pair this conjunction with “neither” to complete the familiar construction. 🔗
  11. 18. Wrangler and Grand Wagoneer — Answer: JEEPS. Hint: These rugged vehicles include both a Wrangler and a Grand Wagoneer. 🚙
  12. 20. The "15" of 8/15/26, e.g. — Answer: DAY. Hint: On a calendar date, this identifies the numbered day. 📅
  13. 21. With 19-Across, floating chunk in the Arctic Ocean — Answer: ICE. Hint: Think of a large frozen slab drifting through polar waters. 🧊
  14. 22. Triple ___ (margarita ingredient) — Answer: SEC. Hint: This orange liqueur is a classic ingredient in a margarita. 🍹
  15. 23. Appropriate missing letters in RET_ _EMENT PL_N — Answer: IRA. Hint: Fill the blanks to complete a workplace savings arrangement. 🧩
  16. 24. Spanish for "south" — Answer: SUR. Hint: In Spanish, this direction points toward the bottom of most maps. 🧭

Recent NYT Midi Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Winter bug” in the New York Times Midi crossword is FLU — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 15, 2026 at 4-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.

“Winter bug” answer

FLU (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 FLU.

When else has “Winter bug” 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 15, 2026 (most recent) → FLU. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More NYT Midi answers for August 15, 2026

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the NYT Midi on August 15, 2026 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.

Across

Down

Want the whole grid in one place? The full NYT Midi answer list for August 15, 2026 is on the puzzle's answers page, and today's live NYT Midi answers are always one click away from the today page.

About the NYT Midi Crossword

The New York Times Midi is the mid-size daily puzzle between the Mini and the full crossword — typically a 7×7 grid that still rewards quick pattern recognition. Because the Midi is compact, one stubborn clue can jam the whole solve, which is why a confirmed answer and a short explanation help most when you're stuck on a single square.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Winter bug”?

The answer is FLU, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Winter bug”?

3 letters: FLU.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Midi crossword on August 15, 2026, at 4-Down.

Can “Winter bug” 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.

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