NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Down · 3-D
Leader with a baton
Tap each tile to reveal the answer
Stuck? Tap one tile at a time for a gentle nudge, or reveal the full answer.
Letters
9
Direction
Down
Clue #
3
Starts with
C
Ends with
R
Vowels
3
About this clue
The clue “Leader with a baton” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at position 3-D. The answer is a 9-letter word or phrase that starts with C and ends with R.
This puzzle was titled “Let the Games Begin” and constructed by Ian Livengood.
The Midi Crossword sits between the lightning-fast Mini and the full daily, so its cluing tends toward punny misdirection rather than obscure trivia. With 3 vowels, this answer is unusually vowel-heavy — suggesting a phrase, name, or non-English borrowing.
How to solve this clue
If you're stuck on this Midi clue, here are angles that often help:
- Crosscheck with the perpendicular entries. Fill the Across entries that cross this one and the letters will usually reveal the answer.
- Watch for the puzzle title. Midi puzzles usually carry a small theme — long Across entries that share a wordplay link.
- Mind the part of speech. Singular clue takes a singular answer; past tense takes -ED or an irregular past form.
- Trust your first instinct. If a clue feels easy in the Midi, it usually is — the puzzle is designed to be solvable in three to five minutes.