NYT Midi Crossword Clues & Answers - May 22

Happy Little Trees

By Alina Abidi

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NYT Midi Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Shower alternative
  2. 5Spa treatment that might feature nail art, for short
  3. 9___ sabzi (potato curry)
  4. 10English river that means "river" in Celtic languages
  5. 11Screech
  6. 12Champagne bottle projectile
  7. 13Ships off
  8. 15It's about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen
  9. 16Longtime host of "The Joy of Painting" whose work is the basis of this puzzle's theme
  10. 20Two-sided
  11. 21Not just a want
  12. 23Pain that may be helped by stretching
  13. 24Stitching line
  14. 25East Lansing sch.
  15. 26"u would be doing me a big favor :prayer-hands:"

Down

  1. 1Howls at the moon
  2. 2Soothing gel ingredient
  3. 3Village relative
  4. 4Fitting comfortably in one's hands
  5. 5French desserts that look like tiny colorful hamburgers
  6. 6Promise
  7. 7Ephron who directed "You've Got Mail"
  8. 8Like a leaky pen
  9. 14"For once, maybe someone will call me '___' without adding 'You're making a scene'": Homer Simpson
  10. 16N.F.L. athletes with a pirate flag logo, for short
  11. 17Most populous Hawaiian island
  12. 18Flow like sap
  13. 19Animal often confused with a sea lion
  14. 20Water stopper
  15. 22Slack convos

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Shower alternative — Answer: BATH
  2. 5. Spa treatment that might feature nail art, for short — Answer: MANI
  3. 9. ___ sabzi (potato curry) — Answer: ALOO
  4. 10. English river that means "river" in Celtic languages — Answer: AVON
  5. 11. Screech — Answer: YOWL
  6. 12. Champagne bottle projectile — Answer: CORK
  7. 13. Ships off — Answer: SENDSAWAY
  8. 15. It's about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen — Answer: AIR
  9. 16. Longtime host of "The Joy of Painting" whose work is the basis of this puzzle's theme — Answer: BOBROSS
  10. 20. Two-sided — Answer: DUAL
  11. 21. Not just a want — Answer: NEED
  12. 23. Pain that may be helped by stretching — Answer: ACHE
  13. 24. Stitching line — Answer: SEAM
  14. 25. East Lansing sch. — Answer: MSU
  15. 26. "u would be doing me a big favor :prayer-hands:" — Answer: PLS

Down

  1. 1. Howls at the moon — Answer: BAYS
  2. 2. Soothing gel ingredient — Answer: ALOE
  3. 3. Village relative — Answer: TOWN
  4. 4. Fitting comfortably in one's hands — Answer: HOLDABLE
  5. 5. French desserts that look like tiny colorful hamburgers — Answer: MACARONS
  6. 6. Promise — Answer: AVOW
  7. 7. Ephron who directed "You've Got Mail" — Answer: NORA
  8. 8. Like a leaky pen — Answer: INKY
  9. 14. "For once, maybe someone will call me '___' without adding 'You're making a scene'": Homer Simpson — Answer: SIR
  10. 16. N.F.L. athletes with a pirate flag logo, for short — Answer: BUCS
  11. 17. Most populous Hawaiian island — Answer: OAHU
  12. 18. Flow like sap — Answer: SEEP
  13. 19. Animal often confused with a sea lion — Answer: SEAL
  14. 20. Water stopper — Answer: DAM
  15. 22. Slack convos — Answer: DMS

Here are the NYT Midi Crossword answers for Friday, May 22, 2026 — every solution for that day's mid-size puzzle, listed at the top of this page. Whether you're catching up on a puzzle you missed, settling a “what was the answer on May 22?” question, or checking a grid you finished that day, the complete clue-by-clue solution is right here. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Head to our live NYT Midi Crossword answers page.

NYT Midi Crossword answers for May 22, 2026

The full solution for the May 22 NYT Midi is shown above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as that day's grid read. Each answer is listed separately, so you can check just the clue you were stuck on and leave the rest. This is the confirmed grid as published on Friday, May 22.

Hints for the May 22 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The May 22 Midi is the mid-size New York Times grid — bigger than the one-minute Mini, smaller than the full weekday crossword — so it sat somewhere between a quick hit and a proper sit-down solve that Friday. It keeps the Times' clean, playful cluing, so the answers below read like a lighter version of the main puzzle rather than a Saturday-level challenge. Use the hints for the trickiest clues, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.

Looking for a different day?

Prefer to solve rather than peek? The play button opens the puzzle so you can try that day's grid yourself, then come back to check your answers. Stuck on a single clue from any puzzle, our crossword solver reveals just that answer from your known letters.

Frequently asked questions

What were the NYT Midi Crossword answers on May 22, 2026?

Every answer for the Friday, May 22, 2026 NYT Midi is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.

Where can I find today's NYT Midi answers?

Today's live puzzle is on our NYT Midi Crossword answers today page, updated the moment each new grid goes live.

How do I look up a different date?

Use the previous/next links above to step day by day, or open the today page to browse the full dated archive.

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