"Those large folklore characters are so lit!" - NYT The Midi Clue

"Those large folklore characters are so lit!" Answer Explained

The answer is GASGIANTS.

GAS GIANTS usually refers to massive planets composed largely of gases, like Jupiter or Saturn. The clue cleverly splits the phrase into GAS + GIANTS, suggesting large folklore creatures associated with gas—something flammable. That opens the door to the joke: if they’re full of gas, they could be “lit,” as in ignited or glowing. The surface clue, “Those large folklore characters are so lit!” plays on the slang meaning of “lit” (exciting), while the answer delivers a literal, combustible interpretation. As with the other themers, the title They’re Lit! signals this dual meaning, turning familiar terms into vividly “on fire” images.

Now that you've cracked the 13A "Those large folklore characters are so lit!" clue, you're one step closer to completing today’s Midi Puzzle! If you're still stuck on other clues, don't worry, we've got you covered. Explore more NYT The Midi crossword answers right here, or check out our tools for solving the NYT Crossword, NYT The Mini puzzle, Connections, or Strands.

Today’s NYT Midi Highlights

This lively Midi puzzle, titled They’re Lit!, plays on the modern slang meaning of “lit” (exciting, cool) while cleverly reinterpreting it in a more literal, visual sense. Each themer transforms an ordinary phrase into something humorously “illuminated.” For instance, FIREWALLS becomes a playful compliment about glowing room sides, GAS GIANTS shifts from planets to folklore creatures, and DOPESLAPS turns high-fives into something energetically radiant. The humor lands in that double meaning, where “lit” bridges hype and actual light.

The fill around the grid is smooth and accessible, with entries like ELMO, ARIEL, and RAFA adding a pop-culture touch, while STYX and ONE bring in literary and mythological flavor. Nothing feels overly obscure, making the theme the clear star. Overall, it’s a tight, modern-feeling puzzle that rewards solvers who enjoy wordplay rooted in contemporary language, while still staying grounded in classic crossword structure.

Here’s what caught our attention today:

• "The sides of your room are so lit!"
• "Your high-fives are always so lit!"

About The Midi

The Midi is a daily crossword puzzle designed to sit between the quick satisfaction of The Mini and the depth of the full Daily Crossword. It offers a compact but more layered solving experience, giving players a new step in the New York Times Games lineup.

While officially launched as a daily puzzle in February 2026, the concept was tested earlier through special puzzle packs and more recently in newsletter editions. Those experiments helped shape what is now a permanent daily feature available exclusively online through the New York Times Games app and website.

Format and Structure

Most Midi puzzles use a 9×9 grid (larger than The Mini but smaller than the traditional crossword), allowing for richer wordplay and themed construction without requiring a long solving session. Toward the end of the week, grids may expand up to 11×11, and occasionally the puzzle appears in non-square formats, with different numbers of rows and columns.

Unlike The Mini, every Midi includes a title, offering a subtle hint at the puzzle’s theme or solving trick. These titles add an extra layer of discovery while keeping the experience approachable.

A Digital-First Puzzle

The Midi is built specifically for digital play. It does not appear in print, and it is available through the New York Times app and website only for subscribers.

Designing the puzzle for screens allows for occasional visual effects and interactive moments that enhance the solving experience in ways print cannot. Even with these innovations, the philosophy remains consistent: puzzles are still handcrafted by human constructors and editors, preserving the editorial voice and thoughtful construction that define New York Times Games.

Editorial Approach

The Midi is edited by Ian Livengood, who also oversees Pips. He creates about three Midi puzzles each week while collaborating with a rotating group of approximately fifteen contributors whose submissions are carefully edited before publication.

This editorial model mirrors the structure used across The New York Times crosswords, where dedicated editors maintain quality and style (like Will Shortz for The Daily and Joel Fagliano for The Mini).

New Rules and Creative Flexibility

The Midi introduces several notable changes to traditional crossword conventions, like:

• Each puzzle features a title. Before, only Sunday NYT puzzles had a title. In Midi, this is meant to give a clue about the theme without needing a distinct clue to play the role of a theme revealer.
• Grids may occasionally break from square symmetry, which is something also happening in the Mini, especially those made by Sam Ezersky.
• Two-letter answers are allowed - this is a feature borrowed from cryptic puzzles, allowing Scrabble (and NYT Crossplay) fans to bank on their skills.

Daily Availability

Puzzles are accessible the evening before the publish date. Weekday and Saturday puzzles: 10 p.m. EST the previous day. Sunday puzzles: 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.