NYT Midi Crossword Answers for Saturday, October 31, 2026: “Jump Scare”

Saturday, October 31, 2026 · Today's NYT Midi Crossword answers

OCT31

NYT Midi Crossword

Saturday, October 31, 2026

9×9“Jump Scare”By Alina AbidiEdited 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 “Jump Scare” — the title hints at the theme.

Across

  1. 1By ___ and bounds (5)
    RevealLEAPS
  2. 6Prepare to nap (7)
    RevealLIEDOWN
  3. 8Time for spooky sights and sounds (9)
    RevealHALLOWEEN
  4. 10Egg cells (3)
    RevealOVA
  5. 11This or that or whichever (3)
    RevealANY
  6. 12Tropical evergreen that's the source of chocolate (9)
    RevealCACAOTREE
  7. 16Chinese steamed bun (3)
    RevealBAO
  8. 17Useful trait for climbing a mountain or wrangling an energetic toddler (9)
    RevealENDURANCE
  9. 23Spell of activity (4)
    RevealBOUT
  10. 24Fitting rhyme for "gloom" (4)
    RevealDOOM
  11. 25Dude (3)
    RevealBRO
  12. 26Class that teaches about DNA, in brief (3)
    RevealBIO

Down

  1. 1Pale purple (5)
    RevealLILAC
  2. 2Sushi fish served with a sweet-salty sauce (3)
    RevealEEL
  3. 3Hubbub (3)
    RevealADO
  4. 4Comic book onomatopoeia (3)
    RevealPOW
  5. 5Say with a hand on the Bible (5)
    RevealSWEAR
  6. 6What the blobs of some groovy lamps resemble (4)
    RevealLAVA
  7. 7State bird of Hawaii (4)
    RevealNENE
  8. 8Ad ___ (formed for a particular purpose) (3)
    RevealHOC
  9. 9Holiday celebrated two months after 8-Across, for short (3)
    RevealNYE
  10. 13Be next to (4)
    RevealABUT
  11. 14Rowboat tool (3)
    RevealOAR
  12. 15"Frog and ___" (children's book series) (4)
    RevealTOAD
  13. 17Flow back (3)
    RevealEBB
  14. 18"Neither snow ___ rain ___ heat ___ gloom of night ..." (motto associated with the U.S. Postal Service) (3)
    RevealNOR
  15. 19"Dynamic" grouping of people (3)
    RevealDUO
  16. 20Head, in slang (3)
    RevealNOB
  17. 21___ Leray, rapper with the 2023 hit "Players" (3)
    RevealCOI
  18. 22Rock genre with confessional lyrics (3)
    RevealEMO
Crossword regulars in this grid (spoilers)

Answers in this NYT Midi Crossword that had shown up before, counted over the 248 puzzles since February 2026:

ADO ×15EMO ×15EEL ×8LAVA ×7OAR ×6ANY ×4BIO ×4NOR ×4

Show all 30 answers and the solved grid

Across: 1A LEAPS6A LIEDOWN8A HALLOWEEN10A OVA11A ANY12A CACAOTREE16A BAO17A ENDURANCE23A BOUT24A DOOM25A BRO26A BIO

Down: 1D LILAC2D EEL3D ADO4D POW5D SWEAR6D LAVA7D NENE8D HOC9D NYE13D ABUT14D OAR15D TOAD17D EBB18D NOR19D DUO20D NOB21D COI22D EMO

About This NYT Midi Crossword

The NYT Midi for Saturday, October 31, 2026 was a 9×9 grid by Alina Abidi, edited by Ian Livengood, titled “Jump Scare”, with 30 clues; the longest answer ran 9 letters. That is 3 fewer than the average Saturday before it (32.6).

Also on Oct 31: 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 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 20Oct 21Oct 22Oct 23Oct 24Oct 25Oct 26Oct 27Oct 28Oct 29Oct 30Oct 31

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.