NYT Midi Crossword Clue · Down · 13-D

Less than 90°

From the Sunday, March 15, 2026 puzzleAnswer: 5 lettersBy Ian Livengood
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Letters
5
Direction
Down
Clue #
13
Starts with
A
Ends with
E
Vowels
3

About this clue

The clue “Less than 90°” appeared in the New York Times Midi Crossword on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at position 13-D. The answer is a 5-letter word that starts with A and ends with E.

This puzzle was titled “Beware the Ides of March” 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.

This clue in other Midi puzzles

We've seen “Less than 90°” in 1 other Midi puzzle. Editors occasionally reuse clue wording with a different answer.