NYT Midi Crossword Celebrates St. Patrick's Day with Irish-Themed Clues

Puzzle Editor Ian Livengood crafts a green-tinged crossword with references to Ireland, Notre Dame, and more.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:22am

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The New York Times Midi Crossword puzzle for Tuesday, March 17 features a number of clues and answers related to Ireland and St. Patrick's Day. The puzzle, edited by Ian Livengood, includes references to Irish locations like Cork, County Down, and Mayo, as well as other Irish-themed elements like soda bread and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Midi Crossword sits between the smaller NYT Mini and the main NYT Crossword, providing a mid-level challenge for puzzle enthusiasts.

Why it matters

The NYT Midi Crossword is a newer addition to the Times' suite of daily puzzles, and this St. Patrick's Day-themed edition showcases the constructors' ability to weave timely and culturally relevant elements into the crossword format. By incorporating references to Ireland and Irish culture, the puzzle provides an entertaining way for solvers to celebrate the holiday while testing their knowledge across a variety of topics.

The details

Today's Midi Crossword includes several clues and answers related to Ireland, including "How many times Ireland has made the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals" (ONCE), "Surf shop stock in an Ireland county?" (CORKBOARDS), and "Exceptionally dominating sports performance in an Ireland county?" (MAYOCLINIC). Other Irish-themed elements include references to Notre Dame and Irish soda bread. The puzzle also features more general slang and pop culture clues, testing solvers' familiarity with terms like "inspo," "def," and "same."

  • The NYT Midi Crossword is published three times per week, with other constructors filling in on the remaining four days.

The players

Ian Livengood

The puzzle editor for the NYT Midi Crossword, who also works on the Pips puzzle series.

New York Times Games

The division of The New York Times that oversees the publication of daily crossword puzzles, including the Midi Crossword.

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What they’re saying

“Happy St. Patrick's Day! The Midi is indeed celebrating with a green-tinged puzzle today, but past that, Ireland has worked its way into a number of the clues.”

— Paul Tassi, Author (Forbes)

What’s next

The NYT Midi Crossword will continue to be published three times per week, with new constructors contributing puzzles on the other four days. Fans of the series can look forward to more themed and challenging crosswords in the future.

The takeaway

The NYT Midi Crossword's St. Patrick's Day-themed edition demonstrates the constructors' ability to seamlessly integrate timely cultural references into a crossword puzzle, providing an entertaining and educational solving experience for fans of the series.