Finding the New York Times Crossword: Print & Digital Locations

The New York Times crossword appears in consistent locations across formats, though exact placement varies by edition.

Print Newspaper

• Section: Arts & Leisure (typically)
• Position: Left-hand page, lower half
• Companions: Mini crossword, Spelling Bee, Sudoku, KenKen nearby
• Sunday Magazine: Larger Sunday puzzle (21×21 vs daily 15×15) in dedicated section

Digital Platforms

• NYT Games app – Primary home (subscription required for archive)
• nytimes.com/crosswords – Web player
• NYT Crossword app – Standalone (legacy, being merged)
• Newsletter – "Crossword" daily email with link

Puzzle Structure

• Grid: Numbered squares (across/down)
• Clues: Separated Across/Down lists
• Difficulty progression: Monday easiest → Saturday hardest; Sunday = Thursday difficulty, larger
• Theme: Most days have theme (revealed by long answers)

Access Tiers

• Free: Mini crossword daily, limited archive
• Games subscription ($1.25–$1.50/wk): Full daily, archive (1993+), Spelling Bee, Wordle, Connections, Tiles, Sudoku, Vertex
• All Access: Games + News + Cooking + Wirecutter + Athletic

Historical Note

First NYT crossword: February 15, 1942 (Sunday). Daily began 1950. Will Shortz editor since 1993. Constructor bylines listed daily.