NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Across · 9-A
Inflated works at a kids' party
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Letters
10
Direction
Across
Clue #
9
Starts with
B
Ends with
T
Vowels
4
About this clue
The clue “Inflated works at a kids' party” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Friday, June 12, 2026, at position 9-A. The answer is a 10-letter word or phrase that starts with B and ends with T.
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 4 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 Down 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.