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The Crossword

Hosted on nytimes.com · all NYT games

  • Category: Crosswords
  • Price: Subscription – Needs a paid subscription on their site.
  • New puzzle: 10 p.m. New York time the evening before (6 p.m. for the Sunday and Monday puzzles)
Play The Crossword

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The Crossword is a trademark of its owner, used for identification only. dailyfika is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by the owner. The icon is dailyfika's own illustration, not the official logo.

What is NYT Crossword?

The New York Times Crossword is probably the most famous crossword in the world, published since 1942. Its difficulty follows a weekly rhythm: Monday's puzzle is the easiest and each day gets harder until Saturday, which is the toughest. Sunday brings a larger grid with a playful theme. Clues are known for wordplay, and a question mark at the end of a clue is a hint that something tricky is going on. Many solvers start with Mondays and slowly work their way through the week as they learn the puzzle's habits. Daily streaks and solve-time statistics make it easy to see yourself improve. It suits anyone who enjoys words, trivia and a challenge that grows with you. The Crossword is part of the New York Times Games subscription, so you will need one to play.

How to play

  1. Click a square and type the answer to its clue.
  2. Switch between across and down clues; crossing letters help you fill gaps.
  3. Monday is easiest, Saturday hardest. Start early in the week if you're new.

Quick facts

Typical time
10 min – 1 hour+
Difficulty
Easy Monday → hard Saturday
Price
Needs a New York Times Games subscription.
Account
Yes. You need a New York Times account with a Games subscription.
Past puzzles
Subscribers can play decades of past puzzles.
On a phone
In the browser, or in the NYT Games app for iPhone and Android.
Grid
15×15 squares on weekdays and a larger 21×21 on Sundays.

Tips to get better

  • Start on a Monday. The puzzle gets harder every day until Saturday, so Monday and Tuesday are the place to learn. Sunday's grid is bigger, but only about as hard as a midweek puzzle.
  • Do the fill-in-the-blanks first, then the short answers. They give you letters to build the long answers on.
  • A question mark means wordplay. If a clue ends in '?', don't take it literally. It's a pun or a joke.
  • Look for the theme. From Monday to Thursday, and on Sunday, the longest answers are linked by a shared idea. Once you spot it, the other long answers get much easier.
  • Expect tricks on Thursdays. Thursday is where the puzzle bends its own rules, for example by squeezing several letters into one square. If nothing fits, that may be why.
  • Learn the regulars. Short, vowel-heavy words such as OREO, ERA and ALOE turn up again and again. Within a few weeks you'll fill them in on sight.

Who it's for

This is the crossword for people who want a puzzle to grow into. Early in the week it's welcoming; by Friday and Saturday it can beat experienced solvers. It leans on American culture, so sports teams, brands and TV shows are harder if you live elsewhere. It needs a subscription, so it makes most sense if you'll play several days a week.

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