NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Down · 6-D
Game that involves changing one letter per "rung," as seen in this puzzle
Tap each tile to reveal the answer
Stuck? Tap one tile at a time for a gentle nudge, or reveal the full answer.
Letters
10
Direction
Down
Clue #
6
Starts with
W
Ends with
R
Vowels
3
About this clue
The clue “Game that involves changing one letter per "rung," as seen in this puzzle” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Friday, June 12, 2026, at position 6-D. The answer is a 10-letter word or phrase that starts with W and ends with R.
This puzzle was titled “Step Up to the Plate” and constructed by Alina Abidi, edited 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. Note that the answer contains a double letter.
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.