The NYT Midi Crossword May 22, 2026 puzzle by Alina Abidi is solved below. The answers were grouped based on their orientation on the grid.
Across
- 1 Shower alternative BATH
- 5 Spa treatment that might feature nail art, for short MANI
- 9 ___ sabzi (potato curry) ALOO
- 10 English river that means “river” in Celtic languages AVON
- 11 Screech YOWL
- 12 Champagne bottle projectile CORK
- 13 Ships off SENDSAWAY
- 15 It’s about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen AIR
- 16 Longtime host of “The Joy of Painting” whose work is the basis of this puzzle’s theme BOBROSS
- 20 Two-sided DUAL
- 21 Not just a want NEED
- 23 Pain that may be helped by stretching ACHE
- 24 Stitching line SEAM
- 25 East Lansing sch. MSU
- 26 “u would be doing me a big favor :prayer-hands:” PLS
Down
- 1 Howls at the moon BAYS
- 2 Soothing gel ingredient ALOE
- 3 Village relative TOWN
- 4 Fitting comfortably in one’s hands HOLDABLE
- 5 French desserts that look like tiny colorful hamburgers MACARONS
- 6 Promise AVOW
- 7 Ephron who directed “You’ve Got Mail” NORA
- 8 Like a leaky pen INKY
- 14 “For once, maybe someone will call me ‘___’ without adding ‘You’re making a scene'”: Homer Simpson SIR
- 16 N.F.L. athletes with a pirate flag logo, for short BUCS
- 17 Most populous Hawaiian island OAHU
- 18 Flow like sap SEEP
- 19 Animal often confused with a sea lion SEAL
- 20 Water stopper DAM
- 22 Slack convos DMS
MINI Clues are grouped in the order they appeared in the puzzle and If the answers above do not solve a specific clue just open the clue link and it will show you all the possible solutions that we have for that clue.