NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Down · 21-D
Tennessee pro athlete
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Letters
5
Direction
Down
Clue #
21
Starts with
T
Ends with
N
Vowels
2
About this clue
The clue “Tennessee pro athlete” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at position 21-D. The answer is a 5-letter word that starts with T and ends with N.
This puzzle was titled “Friendly Game of Chess” and constructed by Jeremy Newton, 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. The vowel pattern is balanced, suggesting a common English word.
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.