NYT Midi Crossword Answers for Saturday, October 17, 2026: “Purple Prose”

Saturday, October 17, 2026 · Today's NYT Midi Crossword answers

OCT17

NYT Midi Crossword

Saturday, October 17, 2026

9×9“Purple Prose”By Ian Livengood

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

This Midi was titled “Purple Prose” — the title hints at the theme. Clues that point at it: 22A, 6D.

Across

  1. 1Anti-rash powder (4)
    RevealTALC
  2. 5"I need this, like, yesterday!" (4)
    RevealASAP
  3. 9Mosquito bite symptom (4)
    RevealITCH
  4. 10Chemical element one before zirconium, alphabetically (4)
    RevealZINC
  5. 11Zilch (4)
    RevealNADA
  6. 12Golf hazard smoothed by a rake (4)
    RevealTRAP
  7. 13Singer Carly ___ Jepsen (3)
    RevealRAE
  8. 15You might get one when sitting in a chair that swivels (7)
    RevealHAIRCUT
  9. 19"I ___ run!" (5)
    RevealGOTTA
  10. 20Actress Long of "Michael" (3)
    RevealNIA
  11. 22Purple dishes topped with granola and fruit, as suggested by this puzzle's circled letters (9)
    RevealACAIBOWLS
  12. 24Fake bait in a tackle box (4)
    RevealLURE
  13. 25Stink (4)
    RevealREEK
  14. 26Without changes (4)
    RevealASIS
  15. 27Does some back-of-the-envelope calculations (4)
    RevealADDS

Down

  1. 1Sturdy sardines container (3)
    RevealTIN
  2. 2Take it one day ___ time (3)
    RevealATA
  3. 3Digital screen variety, for short (3)
    RevealLCD
  4. 4Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity (9)
    RevealCHARITIES
  5. 5Ancient Mexican empire (5)
    RevealAZTEC
  6. 6Courteous title (3)
    RevealSIR
  7. 7"Saturday Night Live" alum Gasteyer (3)
    RevealANA
  8. 8Doctor seen for routine physicals, for short (3)
    RevealPCP
  9. 14Many an Algerian (4)
    RevealARAB
  10. 15___-pocus (5)
    RevealHOCUS
  11. 16Company that helped kick-start the popularity of video games (5)
    RevealATARI
  12. 17Not married (5)
    RevealUNWED
  13. 18Like many backsplashes and showers (5)
    RevealTILED
  14. 19Fancy party (4)
    RevealGALA
  15. 21Requests (4)
    RevealASKS
  16. 23Pop singer Rita (3)
    RevealORA
Crossword regulars in this grid (spoilers)

Answers in this NYT Midi Crossword that had shown up before, counted over the 234 puzzles since February 2026:

ORA ×6SIR ×6ATARI ×5ANA ×4ASAP ×4TIN ×3ARAB ×2ASKS ×2

Show all 31 answers and the solved grid

Across: 1A TALC5A ASAP9A ITCH10A ZINC11A NADA12A TRAP13A RAE15A HAIRCUT19A GOTTA20A NIA22A ACAIBOWLS24A LURE25A REEK26A ASIS27A ADDS

Down: 1D TIN2D ATA3D LCD4D CHARITIES5D AZTEC6D SIR7D ANA8D PCP14D ARAB15D HOCUS16D ATARI17D UNWED18D TILED19D GALA21D ASKS23D ORA

About This NYT Midi Crossword

The NYT Midi for Saturday, October 17, 2026 was a 9×9 grid by Ian Livengood, titled “Purple Prose”, with 31 clues; the longest answer ran 9 letters. That is 2 fewer than the average Saturday before it (32.7).

Also on Oct 17: the NYT Mini Crossword and the NYT Crossword.

Earlier October 2026 NYT Midi Crossword Answers

Oct 1Oct 2Oct 3Oct 4Oct 5Oct 6Oct 7Oct 8Oct 9Oct 10Oct 11Oct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 16Oct 17

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.