NYT Midi Crossword Answers for Friday, August 21, 2026: “Hat Trick”

Friday, August 21, 2026 · Today's NYT Midi Crossword answers

AUG21

NYT Midi Crossword

Friday, August 21, 2026

9×9“Hat Trick”By Zhou Zhang and Kevin CurryEdited by Ian Livengood

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

This Midi was titled “Hat Trick” — the title hints at the theme.

Across

  1. 1House hunter's bid (5)
    RevealOFFER
  2. 6Hardly any (3)
    RevealFEW
  3. 92016 Disney film with Samoan song lyrics (5)
    RevealMOANA
  4. 10It may be on the chopping block (3)
    RevealAXE
  5. 11Naomi Osaka's visor? (5)
    RevealNOCAP
  6. 12"Told ya I was right" (3)
    RevealSEE
  7. 13Pair of celebs (4)
    RevealITEM
  8. 14Affliction for many a war vet, for short (4)
    RevealPTSD
  9. 15Mary Oliver's cloche? (5)
    RevealMOCAP
  10. 17Car enthusiasts, informally (9)
    RevealGEARHEADS
  11. 21Yiddish cries of dismay (3)
    RevealOYS
  12. 22Eva Longoria's beret? (5)
    RevealELCAP
  13. 23Boat that journeyed to Ararat, in the Bible (3)
    RevealARK
  14. 24Justice Kagan (5)
    RevealELENA
  15. 25"___ Misérables" (3)
    RevealLES
  16. 26Weather tracker's tool (5)
    RevealRADAR

Down

  1. 1Prefix with present or potent (4)
    RevealOMNI
  2. 20.3048 meters (4)
    RevealFOOT
  3. 3Things worn by umpires and some superheroes (9)
    RevealFACEMASKS
  4. 4Infatuate (6)
    RevealENAMOR
  5. 5Engage in a battle of words, perhaps? (3)
    RevealRAP
  6. 6Quick and action-packed (9)
    RevealFASTPACED
  7. 7Old flames (4)
    RevealEXES
  8. 8Unwanted garden growth (4)
    RevealWEED
  9. 14Spanish rice dish (6)
    RevealPAELLA
  10. 16Sport that involves tumbling, jumping and stunting (5)
    RevealCHEER
  11. 17"A ___ without a plan is just a wish" (quote attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) (4)
    RevealGOAL
  12. 18Jane in a Brontë novel (4)
    RevealEYRE
  13. 19Comedian Carvey (4)
    RevealDANA
  14. 20Fight lightly (4)
    RevealSPAR
Crossword regulars in this grid (spoilers)

Answers in this NYT Midi Crossword that had shown up before, counted over the 177 puzzles since February 2026:

SEE ×8EXES ×3ARK ×2GOAL ×2LES ×2RAP ×2

Show all 30 answers and the solved grid

Across: 1A OFFER6A FEW9A MOANA10A AXE11A NOCAP12A SEE13A ITEM14A PTSD15A MOCAP17A GEARHEADS21A OYS22A ELCAP23A ARK24A ELENA25A LES26A RADAR

Down: 1D OMNI2D FOOT3D FACEMASKS4D ENAMOR5D RAP6D FASTPACED7D EXES8D WEED14D PAELLA16D CHEER17D GOAL18D EYRE19D DANA20D SPAR

About This NYT Midi Crossword

The NYT Midi for Friday, August 21, 2026 was a 9×9 grid by Zhou Zhang and Kevin Curry, edited by Ian Livengood, titled “Hat Trick”, with 30 clues; the longest answer ran 9 letters. That is 3 fewer than the average Friday before it (32.5).

Also on Aug 21: 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 16Aug 17Aug 18Aug 19Aug 20Aug 21

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.