In the title compound, C(18)H(15)N(3)O(2), the fused ring system is almost planar [the dihedral angle between the six-membered rings is 1.81 (6)°]. The 2-tolyl ring is approximately orthogonal to this plane [dihedral angle = 83.03 (7)°] as is the acetonitrile group [C-O-C-C torsion angle = 79.24 (14)°] which is also syn to the methyl substituent of the tolyl group. In the crystal, supra-molecular layers are formed in the bc plane mediated by C-H⋯O, C-H⋯N and C-H⋯π inter-actions. The tolyl group is disordered over two positions in a 0.852 (3):0.148 (3) ratio.