NYT Midi Crossword Answers for Sunday, August 16, 2026: “Put a Tent on This Circus!”

Sunday, August 16, 2026 · Today's NYT Midi Crossword answers

AUG16

NYT Midi Crossword

Sunday, August 16, 2026

10×10“Put a Tent on This Circus!”By Kareem AyasEdited by Ian Livengood

36 clues. Tap Reveal on any clue for just that answer, or open the full solution at the bottom.

This Midi was titled “Put a Tent on This Circus!” — the title hints at the theme. Clues that point at it: 5D.

Across

  1. 1Tree that produces acorns (3)
    RevealOAK
  2. 4Bio or chem, e.g. (3)
    RevealSCI
  3. 7Gooey vegetable in bhindi masala (4)
    RevealOKRA
  4. 8Stale (3)
    RevealOLD
  5. 9Like the tops of ceiling fan blades, often (5)
    RevealDUSTY
  6. 10Animal with a pouch, for short (3)
    RevealROO
  7. 11Like fire ... or someone who is "on fire" (3)
    RevealHOT
  8. 12Once more (4)
    RevealANEW
  9. 14Inflated senses of self (4)
    RevealEGOS
  10. 16Pottery ovens (5)
    RevealKILNS
  11. 18Sounds from a 5-Down ... and from the noses inside a 5-Down (5)
    RevealHONKS
  12. 20Filing cabinet securer (4)
    RevealLOCK
  13. 21"In memoriam" story (4)
    RevealOBIT
  14. 22Declare (3)
    RevealSAY
  15. 23Rx regulator (3)
    RevealFDA
  16. 24___ echelon (5)
    RevealUPPER
  17. 27Flowery necklace (3)
    RevealLEI
  18. 28Tie to a dock (4)
    RevealMOOR
  19. 29Web address, for short (3)
    RevealURL
  20. 30Dessert on the faces inside a 5-Down, maybe (3)
    RevealPIE

Down

  1. 1Approvals (3)
    RevealOKS
  2. 2Making balloon animals or juggling, to some (3)
    RevealART
  3. 3Online travel company named after a boat (5)
    RevealKAYAK
  4. 4One with poor sportsmanship (9)
    RevealSORELOSER
  5. 5What a pair of jokers might be found in the back of? ... and a hint to this puzzle's theme (8)
    RevealCLOWNCAR
  6. 6Words followed by a kiss (3)
    RevealIDO
  7. 7Temporarily released from custody, perhaps (9)
    RevealOUTONBAIL
  8. 9Altruistic person (8)
    RevealDOGOODER
  9. 11"That's mildly funny" (3)
    RevealHEH
  10. 130, in soccer lingo (3)
    RevealNIL
  11. 15Glide down a snowy mountain (3)
    RevealSKI
  12. 17Blue expanse (3)
    RevealSKY
  13. 19Truncated trunk (5)
    RevealSTUMP
  14. 23___ shot (seasonal vaccination) (3)
    RevealFLU
  15. 25Hawaiian food that's a paste made from taro root (3)
    RevealPOI
  16. 26"The Masque of the Red Death" author (3)
    RevealPOE
Crossword regulars in this grid (spoilers)

Answers in this NYT Midi Crossword that had shown up before, counted over the 172 puzzles since February 2026:

IDO ×8OLD ×8ART ×6LEI ×5OKRA ×3POE ×3ROO ×3SAY ×3

Show all 36 answers and the solved grid

Across: 1A OAK4A SCI7A OKRA8A OLD9A DUSTY10A ROO11A HOT12A ANEW14A EGOS16A KILNS18A HONKS20A LOCK21A OBIT22A SAY23A FDA24A UPPER27A LEI28A MOOR29A URL30A PIE

Down: 1D OKS2D ART3D KAYAK4D SORELOSER5D CLOWNCAR6D IDO7D OUTONBAIL9D DOGOODER11D HEH13D NIL15D SKI17D SKY19D STUMP23D FLU25D POI26D POE

About This NYT Midi Crossword

The NYT Midi for Sunday, August 16, 2026 was a 10×10 grid by Kareem Ayas, edited by Ian Livengood, titled “Put a Tent on This Circus!”, with 36 clues; the longest answer ran 5 letters. That is 4 more than the average Sunday before it (32.0).

Also on Aug 16: the NYT Mini Crossword and the NYT Crossword.

Earlier August 2026 NYT Midi Crossword Answers

Aug 1Aug 2Aug 3Aug 4Aug 5Aug 6Aug 7Aug 8Aug 9Aug 10Aug 11Aug 12Aug 13Aug 14Aug 15Aug 16

Every earlier puzzle is in the NYT Midi Crossword archive. For the newest one, see today's NYT Midi Crossword answers, which switch to the next puzzle as soon as it's released.

Unofficial fan guide — not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times. Clues are quoted for reference.