New York Times Moves Mini Crossword Behind Subscription

The New York Times has restricted free access to its Mini Crossword, requiring players to purchase a subscription to continue solving the daily word puzzle through its official services. The change, announced on August 27, 2025, according to Beebom, remained in effect in 2026, with access available through NYT Games or an All Access subscription. The policy ended the puzzle's previous free daily availability.

However, the exact date when the restriction took effect was not specified in the supplied reports, and the newspaper's specific reasoning for the decision was not established. According to Beebom's October 7 report, players who do not subscribe can turn to alternative crossword games published by other outlets. Options include the Los Angeles Times Mini Crossword, the Seattle Times Mini Crossword, Crosshare, and Crossherd, although access requirements and features vary across platforms.

The Los Angeles Times offers a comparable mini puzzle that players can access after watching an advertisement, while the Seattle Times version does not require an advertisement, according to Beebom. Crosshare and Crossherd provide additional crossword experiences with formats or features that differ from the New York Times offering.

The New York Times Mini Crossword remains accessible through the newspaper's website, the NYT Games app, and the Play tab in its main News app, according to Bored Panda's October 10 report. Access to archived puzzles is restricted to Games and All Access subscribers. The puzzle uses a 5-by-5 grid, with players filling in answers to horizontal and vertical clues. Completing the puzzle triggers music and a congratulatory message, while built-in tools allow players to check answers or reveal individual letters and entire words.

Players can also monitor their completion times and compare results on the Mini leaderboard. Desktop users can use keyboard shortcuts, while a pen-and-pencil mode distinguishes confident answers from tentative guesses. Bored Panda reported that weekday and Saturday puzzles become available at 10 p.m.

Eastern Standard Time on the preceding night. Sunday puzzles are released earlier, at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday.

Coverage from CNET on October 8 also featured examples of the puzzle's daily clues and answers. The published examples included BAR for an old-fashioned business, SERVE for the start of a tennis point, and PLAIN for a basic bagel variety.