5.4.0
2024-04-23
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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5.3.0
2024-04-17
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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5.2.0
2024-04-10
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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5.1.0
2024-04-02
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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5.0.0
2024-03-26
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Updates include:
* A fix to the progress text overlapping on the Spelling Bee Past Puzzle cards when you reveal a puzzle.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
4.71.0
2024-03-20
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.70.1
2024-03-15
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.69.0
2024-03-07
Refreshed look. Ready to play. Now you can find games and explore packs and archives in one place.
This version also contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
4.68.1
2024-02-29
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.67.0
2024-02-27
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.66.0
2024-02-14
In 2024, the AHA celebrates its Centennial, with February being the month designated to awareness of the “H” in AHA. Some unique and tricky clues for this word include “Red card,” “Pluck,” and “Soul mate?”
A less tricky but fun clue is “Gift from the Wizard of Oz that’s really a clock.”
Take a guess!
Answer: HEART
4.65.2
2024-02-10
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.65.1
2024-02-07
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.59.0
2023-11-20
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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#FunFact
On November 21, Will Shortz will celebrate his 30th year as the Crossword editor of The New York Times.
4.58.1
2023-11-15
4.58.1 includes a fix for a crash when closing puzzles on iOS 15. Changes from 4.58.0:
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
Daylight Saving Time ended on November 7. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS has appeared in the Crossword twice in the Shortz era, clued as “Dracula’s least favorite time?” and “Summer time.” DST, on the other hand, has appeared 87 times, clued as “Something to fall back from: Abbr.,” “Something you might lose a little sleep over?: Abbr.” and “Occasion to do a late shift?: Abbr.”
4.58.0
2023-11-13
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
Daylight Saving Time ended on November 7. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS has appeared in the Crossword twice in the Shortz era, clued as “Dracula’s least favorite time?” and “Summer time.” DST, on the other hand, has appeared 87 times, clued as “Something to fall back from: Abbr.,” “Something you might lose a little sleep over?: Abbr.” and “Occasion to do a late shift?: Abbr.”
4.56.0
2023-10-10
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
The following clues have appeared in the Daily Crossword, all with the same answer. What is it?
“October décor”
“Symbol of harvest time”
“Symbol of fall”
Answer: PUMPKIN
4.55.0
2023-09-25
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
#FunFact
We just released our 100th Connections puzzle.
Have you played our newest game yet? Open that app and head to “More Games” to start solving.
4.54.0
2023-09-22
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us. nytgames@nytimes.com
#FunFact
It’s that time of year! The following clues have appeared in the Daily Crossword, all with the same answer. What is it?”
“Subside”
“Occur”
“Spill”
“Eden event”
Answer: FALL
4.53.0
2023-08-30
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us. nytgames@nytimes.com
Our newest word game, Connections, is now in the app. Play today’s puzzle to group words that share a common thread.
4.52.0
2023-08-21
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
We’re happy to share that we have fixed the issue with The Mini Crossword puzzle not opening for certain users.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
The following clues have the same answer, what is it?:
“Month with no federal holidays”
“Lordly”
“GOLDEN GALE”
The answer is AUGUST! AUGUST first appeared in the Daily Crossword in 1994 as a theme entry, clued as “GOLDEN GALE.” Can you guess that puzzle’s theme?
Answer: Periodic table symbols: Gold = Au, Gale = Gust; AU + GUST = AUGUST
4.51.1
2023-07-31
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
Missed a Spelling Bee? Now it won’t sting. New York Times Games subscribers can play past Spelling Bee puzzles.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
4.51.0
2023-07-06
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
July is here! Can you solve these Independence Day-inspired clues?
“Bested at Nathan’s on July 4, e.g.”
“4th order?”
“Fourth of July earful”
“Stick around on July 4?”
Answers: OUTATE, FIREWORKS, SWEET CORN, SPARKLER
4.49
2023-06-12
You can now pick a date and view your Mini Crossword leaderboard status on previous puzzles! This version also contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
#FunFact
June has been a clue 17 times since Will Shortz began editing The Crossword.
4.48
2023-05-17
Unwind with Tiles, now in the app. Match elements and keep your chain going. Plus enjoy Wordle, Spelling Bee, Sudoku and more.
This version also contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
#FunFact
May has the fewest letters of all the months in a calendar year. Three letters also happens to be the shortest word length allowed in a Daily Crossword grid. Can you solve these other clues for the shortest words in their respective groupings?
“Grumpy co-worker”
“In Latin, it's "stannum"”
“Sign of summer”
Answers: DOC, TIN, LEO
4.47
2023-05-08
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
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#FunFact
May 14 is Mother’s Day. In recognition, here are some clues from the Daily Crossword that feature “mom”:
“Forgetfulness experienced by soon-to-be moms, informally”
“Like kids, but not mom or dad?:
“"Mom" for a day, say”
4.46
2023-04-12
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
#FunFact
The Daily Crossword has run some memorable puzzles on April 1. Take our word for it and check them out! The puzzles from 2020 and 2017 played with certain crossword-y expectations, and the puzzle from 2016 resulted in a fair amount of mail from solvers.
4.45
2023-03-22
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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#FunFact
March marches on. Can you solve these clues for words associated with “March”?
“Storied loser in an upset”
“Day after Pi Day, e.g.”
“Theme in "Hamlet"”
“Novel that begins “Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents””
Answers: HARE, IDES, MADNESS, LITTLE WOMEN
4.44.4
2023-03-09
This version includes Sudoku. Now you can play the numbers game, plus Spelling Bee, Wordle, The Crossword and The Mini Crossword in the app.
This version also contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
4.44.3
2023-03-07
This version includes Sudoku. Now you can play the numbers game, plus Spelling Bee, Wordle, The Crossword and The Mini Crossword in the app.
This version also contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com
4.44.2
2023-03-01
This version includes Sudoku. Now you can play the numbers game, plus Spelling Bee, Wordle, The Crossword and The Mini Crossword in the app.
This version also contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
4.44.1
2023-02-28
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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#FunFact
Happy February! What’s something that February has? A silent letter! Lots of silent letters have been featured in the Daily Crossword, disguised with tricky clues like:
One of two circuit court characters?
What repeats in solemn hymns but isn’t in hymnals?
Thyme piece?
Matte finish?
Bit of cocoa?
February 4th, for many?
Handsome trait?
When combined, what do those letters spell?
Answer: UNHEARD
4.44
2023-02-22
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
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4.39
2022-10-26
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly! We’re happy to share that two bugs have been resolved in this release, including an airplay issue which caused duplicate clues across and down, and an issue with cross reference clue highlights.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
This week’s #FunFact is in honor of “Squid Game”: SQUID has appeared in the daily Crossword six times in the Shortz era, clued as “Ika, at a sushi bar,” “Tentacled sea creature” and the devious “Ink dispenser.” GAME has appeared 63 times, and its clues have included “Up (or down) for something,” “Deer and fox, e.g.” and “Go, for one.”
4.38
2022-09-26
Calling all Wordle fans! Solvers can now play Wordle in this version of the app.
And to the Spelling Bee #hivemind - you asked, and we answered. Pangrams now appear bolded as you find them throughout the day.
Have feedback?Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
September 9 is National Sudoku Day! Can you guess the answers to these sudoku-related clues? "45, for each row and column in a sudoku grid," "What a crossword has that a sudoku doesn't," "Pioneer in the math of sudoku" and "Comics character who once, surprisingly, solved a sudoku puzzle."
Answers: SUM, CLUES, EULER, ODIE
4.37
2022-08-29
Calling all Wordle fans! Solvers can now play Wordle in this version of the app.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
August 26th is Dog Appreciation Day! DOG has appeared in the Daily Crossword 72 times in the Shortz era. Recently, DOG was clued as "Animal for which the Canary Islands are named," since their Latin name is Insula Canaria, or "island of the dogs." PUPPY has been clued as "Spot early on?," "Lightweight boxer?," and "Brand-new toy?" Aww!
4.36
2022-08-18
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly, along with a fresh look to help you navigate new games and features. Updates include:
• New titles for each tab
• Modernized icons
• Simplified tabs highlighting game-specific features
• Updated navigation making it easy to swipe between The Crossword and The Mini archives
• The ability to subscribe to The New York Times through The Archives tab
BONUS! Spelling Bee updates that are sweeter than honey:
• View “Today’s Hints” in the app
• Post comments to the “Community Forum” in the app
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
It's hot out there! Some hot weather-related entries that have appeared in the Daily Crossword include HEAT WAVE ("When many fans come out"), RECORD HIGHS ("Hundreds in New York, perhaps"), and AIR CONDITIONERS ("They may run in the summer"). Stay cool, everyone!
4.35
2022-07-26
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly, along with a fresh look to help you navigate new games and features. Updates include:
• New titles for each tab
• Modernized icons
• Simplified tabs highlighting game-specific features
• Updated navigation making it easy to swipe between The Crossword and The Mini archives
• The ability to subscribe to The New York Times through The Archives tab
BONUS! Spelling Bee updates that are sweeter than honey:
• View “Today’s Hints” in the app
• Post comments to the “Community Forum” in the app
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
July 20 is National Moon Day! MOON has appeared 59 times in the Daily Crossword, clued in relation to its celestial definition as “Project Apollo destination” and “Where the U.S. flag has flown since 1969,” and cheekily as “Butt out?”
4.34
2022-07-13
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
World Emoji Day is on July 17! EMOJI has appeared in the Daily crossword 18 times in the Shortz era, clued as “Face of modern technology,” “Bit of graphic language?,” and “Icon of the small screen?” A Sunday puzzle called “The Emoji Movie” ran in February, 2020, that included clues composed entirely of emojis! :P
4.33
2022-07-06
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
Summer is here! SUMMER has appeared seven times in the Daily Crossword in the Shortz era, clued trickily as “6-9 months?,” “Time off, maybe,” and “Time to burn?” ADE, everyone’s favorite “summertime cooler,” has appeared 230 times in the same period.
4.32
2022-06-06
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
June is Pride Month! PRIDE PARADE has appeared in the Daily Crossword six times, and its clues have included “N.Y.C. event on the last Sunday in June” and “Outmarch?” The Pride flag was the theme of a memorable 2018 puzzle whose wordplay and 17x13 dimensions represented the flag's colorful stripes. Happy Pride!
4.31
2022-04-05
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
Quiz time: This word has appeared as an answer nine times in the Daily Crossword; clues have included “It was originally first on the Roman calendar,” “___ Madness” and “Drill bit?” What is it?
Answer: MARCH
4.29
2022-01-31
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
Martin Luther King Jr. Day was January 17. MLK has appeared in the Daily Crossword 28 times in the Shortz era, clued most recently on January 18 as “Reform leader memorialized in the Stone of Hope, for short.”
4.28
2021-12-15
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
December 21 is National Crossword Puzzle Day! What better way to celebrate than to commemorate Patrick Berry’s landmark six-day “CROSS” WORDS puzzle contest that ran from Monday through Saturday, October 17 to 22, 2011. These six puzzles were all connected by a hidden “meta-challenge” that the solver could uncover after completing the week’s grids. No spoilers! Links to the puzzles and their solutions on xwordinfo.com.
4.24.1
2021-10-15
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
This week’s #FunFact is in honor of “Squid Game”: SQUID has appeared in the daily Crossword six times in the Shortz era, clued as “Ika, at a sushi bar,” “Tentacled sea creature” and the devious “Ink dispenser.” GAME has appeared 63 times, and its clues have included “Up (or down) for something,” “Deer and fox, e.g.” and “Go, for one.”
4.24
2021-10-13
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
Canadian Thanksgiving is on October 11. THANKSGIVING appeared in a puzzle in October of 2009, clued as “Only common word in the English language with the consecutive letters KSG.” Other theme clues used the letter strings “MPG,” “ADQ,” “ZKR,” “SPB” and “NKC.” Can you guess what the common words are?
Answers: CAMPGROUND, HEADQUARTERS, BLITZKRIEG, RASPBERRY, CRANKCASE
4.23
2021-10-04
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
Star Trek Day was on September 8. STAR TREK was once clued as “TV show with the most spinoffs, according to the Guinness Book”; this record has since been surpassed by Japan’s “Ultraman” series (which has never been clued as such in the Crossword).
4.22.1
2021-09-09
This version contains improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFact
It’s time to go back to school! STUDENT has appeared in the Crossword seven times in the Shortz era, clued as “Person making a mark” and “Kind of union.”
4.8
2021-01-14
This version contains bug fixes and improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFacts
Believe it or not, “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” appeared once as a full answer in the New York Times Crossword. It was written across 14 squares: one syllable (“SU,” “PER,” “CAL,” etc.) in each.
4.7
2020-12-16
This version contains bug fixes and improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFacts
So far in 2020, more than 1,900 new answers have appeared in the Crossword. Some have already appeared more than once since, including: MINDBLOWN, MEETCUTE, WAKANDA, GLAMPING and HATEWATCH.
4.6
2020-12-03
This version contains bug fixes and improvements to keep you solving smoothly!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFacts
This month has seen the New York Times crossword debuts of the answers BURNING MAN, LATERGRAM, GOLDEN DOODLE and RANDOS.
4.5
2020-11-23
This version contains more fixes for bugs reported in Spelling Bee.
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFacts
HIVE has appeared in the Crossword 50 times in the Shortz era. The most common clue is “busy place,” but here are some alliterative alternatives: “comb container,” “queen's quarters” and “honeycombed home.”
4.4.2
2020-11-04
This version contains fixes for bugs reported in Spelling Bee. More improvements coming soon!
Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com.
#FunFacts
EINSTEIN has been paired with this word as a clue or answer in the Crossword 6 times. Do you know it? GENIUS.
4.4.1
2020-10-12
We’ve added a new game for subscribers! Play Spelling Bee every day with a Crossword subscription.
#FunFacts
What’s a seven-letter word for a wordsmith’s feat? PANGRAM has appeared in the Crossword 3 times.
4.4
2020-09-24
We’ve added a new game for subscribers! Play Spelling Bee every day with a Crossword subscription.
#FunFacts
What’s a seven-letter word for a wordsmith’s feat? PANGRAM has appeared in the Crossword 3 times.
4.3.1
2020-09-03
More updates and bug fixes to keep you solving smoothly. Some of you were logged out after updating iOS. We’ll now help you log in again if you’ve been automatically logged out for any reason.
#FunFacts
With 17 appearances, the most popular answer so far in 2020 refers to the Greek alphabet, scientific symbols, and travel info, for short… ETA
4.3
2020-08-03
More updates and bug fixes to keep you solving smoothly. Some of you were logged out after updating iOS. We’ll now help you log in again if you’ve been automatically logged out for any reason.
#FunFacts
With 17 appearances, the most popular answer so far in 2020 refers to the Greek alphabet, scientific symbols, and travel info, for short… ETA.
4.2
2020-06-29
We’ve been updating our code to keep the app running smoothly.
#FunFacts
DATA has appeared in the Crossword 115 times in the past 26 years, often clued as "facts and figures." Other references have changed over time:
- Disk contents
- Flash drive filler
- It may be stored on the cloud
- What your phone uses up when you're not on Wi-Fi
4.1
2020-06-15
Let’s make a deal: you solve anytime, without interruption; we’ll modernize our purchase backend and fix our most common crashes.
#FunFacts
The most common TEN-letter answer in the Crossword, with 14 arrivals in the grid… OPEN SESAME.
4.0.1
2020-06-01
You want to solve the Crossword. We want to help! We’ve been updating our code and fixing some bugs, including improving the experience on smaller devices.
#FunFacts
The most common three-letter answer in The New York Times Crossword is ERA, with nearly 1,500 appearances.
4.0
2020-05-11
We’ve improved the solving experience on the iPad Pro and made some updates to keep you solving smoothly!
#FunFacts
What's a five-letter word for “Beehive product”? HONEY has appeared in the NYTimes Crossword 98 times. Sweet!
3.6
2020-04-09
More updates and bug fixes to keep you solving smoothly.
#FunFacts
ANT has been the most popular “bug” as a crossword answer since Will Shortz began editing the puzzle in 1993 - some of our favorite clues:
* Insect found in "Antarctica" ... but not Antarctica
* Member of an underground colony
* Hill worker
3.5
2020-03-16
Updates and improvements to our login and sign in process. Create and register a New York Times account to have your puzzle progress saved on our servers, allowing you to keep your progress if you change devices or platforms to play.
#FunFacts
LOGIN has appeared in the puzzle 13 times, initially on November 1, 1998 clued as “Prepare to check E-mail, perhaps”
3.4.1
2020-02-24
More updates of our code and bug fixes to keep you solving smoothly.
#FunFacts
Since Will Shortz began editing the puzzle in 1993, these are the most common bug answers that have appeared in the puzzle: APHID (45), FLEA (59), GNAT (109) and ANT (306)
3.4
2020-02-03
More updates of our code and bug fixes to keep you solving smoothly.
#FunFacts
Since Will Shortz began editing the puzzle in 1993, these are the most common bug answers that have appeared in the puzzle: APHID (45), FLEA (59), GNAT (109) and ANT (306)
3.3
2019-12-17
We’ve been updating our code and squashing bugs to keep the app running smoothly.
#Fun Facts
December 21st is National Crossword Day - why the 21st? The first crossword puzzle appeared in New York World magazine on December 21st, 1913. The crossword did not appear in The New York Times until February 15, 1942.
3.2
2019-11-04
Now you can turn on Dark Mode for the puzzle solving screen! After you open a puzzle, tap on the settings icon and switch to Dark Mode. Turning on Dark Mode will darken your screen for a more comfortable evening solving experience.
# Fun Facts
NIGHTMODE has never appeared in a New York Times Crossword puzzle, but MODE has appeared 36 times in the last 25 years: Often clued as “Pie à la ___”, back in 1996 as “Pop music's Depeche___”, and most recently in October as “One of math’s three M’s”.
3.1
2019-08-22
#maintenance #infrastructure
You want to solve the Crossword. We want to help! We’ve been updating our code and fixing some bugs, including syncing your puzzles. Mini away.
#funfacts
The New York Times Crossword has published contributors from ages 13 to 100.
3.0.1
2019-07-16
#MiniLeaderboards
Want to compete amongst friends around the Mini? We’ve launched personal Mini leaderboards which you can get to from the navigation tabs at the bottom of the app. These are *personal* leaderboards, so the only people you will see on your leaderboard are people you’ve friended. You can have up to 25 people on your leaderboard, in addition to yourself. This feature requires you to create a New York Times account. For the initial release, you can only see the leaderboard for the currently live Mini puzzle.
#Updates
We’ve also updated the “Recent Puzzles” to be part of the Play tab and to highlight the most recent puzzles you have not completed yet. To see any puzzle you’ve recently played, you can tap through to see the view you’ve had traditionally.
3.0.1 fixes our top three crashers. Happy solving!
#FunFacts
Timed competition stress you out? As former puzzle editor Will Weng noted upon retirement in 1977, “It’s your puzzle and you can do it any way you please!” Quick tips for a more relaxing solve: Go to settings to turn off the timer and use Autocheck (tap the life preserver).
3.0
2019-06-25
# Leaderboards for the Mini!
Want to compete amongst friends around the Mini? We’ve launched personal Mini leaderboards which you can get to from the navigation tabs at the bottom of the app. These are *personal* leaderboards, so the only people you will see on your leaderboard are people you’ve friended. You can have up to 25 people on your leaderboard, in addition to yourself. This feature requires you to create a New York Times account. For the initial release, you can only see the leaderboard for the currently live Mini puzzle.
# Updates
We’ve also updated the “Recent Puzzles” to be part of the Play tab and to highlight the most recent puzzles you have not completed yet. To see any puzzle you’ve recently played, you can click through to see the view you’ve had traditionally.
# Fun Facts
Timed competition stress you out? As former puzzle editor Will Weng noted upon retirement in 1977, “It's your puzzle and you can do it any way you please!” Quick tips for a more relaxing solve: Go to settings to turn off the timer and use Autocheck (click the life preserver).
2.19
2019-03-20
# Updates
- We’ve updated the iOS password manager integrations, but note that the URL has been updated to nytimes.com and LastPass/1Password users may need to change the URL they have saved.
- Your packs will once again tell you how many puzzles you have left. Solve on!
# Fun Facts
The New York Times Crossword has published contributors from ages 13 to 100 — you can see today’s constructor by using the (i) icon above that day’s grid. Also meet more of our constructors at https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/puzzle-making
2.18
2018-12-18
# Updates
- Some of you have generated huge streaks of solving each day’s puzzle before midnight - but we want to celebrate the fact that for many of us, it’s rewarding to solve three Monday or Tuesday puzzles in a row. So now we’re highlighting day of week streaks after you solve and in the Archive! If you’ve solved two days in a row, but it’s your fifth Tuesday in a row, we’ll highlight the longer of the two streaks once you solve.
- To help you solve more puzzles, check our our daily tips column at nytimes.com/Wordplay!
# Fun Facts
STREAK has appeared in the puzzle 19 times in the last 25 years, clued most often (and cleverly) as “Run out of clothes?”
2.17
2018-11-09
#Updates
- Updates and improvements for Voice Over accessibility of the app and puzzle page - turn on Voice Over from iOS Settings, General, Accessibility, Vision and we’ll read the clues to you as you go through the puzzle.
- Added some fun solving feedback and encouragement.
#Fun Facts
We’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Wordplay Column, providing you solving tips on every daily puzzle, constructing tips and more! When you get stuck, find it by clicking on the (i) info icon above the grid to get some tips for that day’s puzzle.
2.16
2018-09-25
# Updates
- Introducing Siri Shortcuts for “Solve the Crossword” and “Solve the Mini” for users on iOS 12 - use your Siri voice commands to get right into your favorite puzzles!
- Introducing a new “From the Archive” section on our main Play tab that highlights puzzles from our nearly 25 years of content that we think might best match your solving acumen.
# Fun Facts
SIRI first appeared during the Will Shortz era as an answer in The New York Times Crossword on March 10, 2012 clued as: “Phone voice?” She’s also been clued as: “Modern know-it-all,” “Her name is Norwegian for ‘beautiful woman who leads you to victory’ ” and “Her ‘birthday’ is Oct 4, 2011.”
2.15.1
2018-09-01
# Fixes and Updates
- Introducing Autocheck! It’s your puzzle and you can solve any way you like - this new solving option (click on the lifesaver icon) allows you to have your answers checked as you type in each letter
- Fixed issue where the keyboard below the grid would disappear when switching apps
- Additional small bugs squashed
# Fun Facts
Will Weng, the 2nd editor of The New York Times Crossword, provided this advice when he retired in a 1977 post that still can apply to the internet age: “And to the solvers I bequeath a few theories about puzzles. Don't be conscience‐stricken if you use dictionaries, atlases and such in doing a puzzle. It's your puzzle and you can do it any way you please.”
2.15
2018-08-29
#Fixes and Updates
- Introducing Autocheck! It’s your puzzle and you can solve any way you like - this new solving option (click the gear above the grid) allows you to have your answers checked as you type in each letter
- Fixed issue where the keyboard below the grid would disappear when switching apps
- Additional small bugs squashed
#Fun Facts
Will Weng, the 2nd editor of The New York Times Crossword, provided this advice when he retired in a 1977 post that still can apply to the internet age: “And to the solvers I bequeath a few theories about puzzles. Don't be conscience‐stricken if you use dictionaries, atlases and such in doing a puzzle. It's your puzzle and you can do it any way you please.”
2.14
2018-07-23
# Fixes and Updates
- More encouragement when you’ve almost got it solved
- Updates to keep things running smoothly
- Additional small bugs squashed
# Fun Facts
You CAN put more than one letter in a square (see how https://nyti.ms/xword-rebus); There were 20 puzzles with a Rebus in 2016, 16 last year and 12 so far this year!
2.13
2018-06-18
# Fixes and Updates
- New digital flourishes for puzzles to better reflect the print puzzle or enhance it
- Fixes for when you pinch to zoom-in on a puzzle grid
- Additional small bugs squashed
# Fun Facts
With some of our puzzles there are images in the grid that can provide more clues to solving the puzzle. Now across all our platforms you can enjoy these puzzles in our archive with these enhanced flourishes. Try some of these puzzles to check it out:
- September 7, 2014
- October 12, 2015
- January 17, 2016
- April 23, 2017
2.12
2018-05-24
# Fixes and Updates
Updates to keep things running smoothly.
# Fun Facts
The answer BEE has appeared 157 times in our daily and mini crosswords during the Will Shortz era. Here are some of our favorite clever clues:
Bud drinker?
Cell occupant?
Plant visitor?
Stingy one?
2.11
2018-05-18
# Fixes and Updates
- Updated settings screens to make managing your account easier
- Added social-sign on via Facebook or Google for solvers to create an account to save their puzzle progress
# Fun Facts
While Google has been an answer in The New York Times Crossword seven times since Will Shortz became editor in 1993, Facebook has only appeared once -- and that was back in 2008. In the 1970s, before the existence of Google as a company, the answer Google appeared twice and was clued as “Barney of Comics” referring to the Barney Google and Snuffy Smith comic created by cartoonist Billy DeBeck.
2.10
2018-03-28
# Fixes and Updates
- Updates to latest version of Swift, a security update and some spring cleaning bug fixes
- This release is the final version for iOS 9. Please update to continue to receive the most recent versions of our app.
# Fun Facts
Spring is in the air, but of the four seasons SPRING has appeared only six times in the 25 years that Will Shortz has been the editor. FALL has the most appearances with 23, SUMMER has seven and WINTER also has just six.
2.9.1
2018-02-15
# Fixes and Updates
- Bug fixes to deal with crashes a subset of users were experiencing on startup or restoring purchases of puzzle packs.
# Fun Facts
Celebrating 75 Years of The New York Times Crossword: In November 1993, Will Shortz became The Times’s fourth crossword editor. He broadened the range of contributors, added their bylines to the daily puzzle and incorporated more playful themes and clues.
2.9.0
2018-01-09
# Updates and Fixes
- Stuck on a puzzle? You can now link directly to the daily Wordplay column with tips on how to tackle the puzzle or some of the tricky clues. Click the info (i) button at the top of the puzzle page and click on the link to view the column. We now link directly to each day’s column back to July 1, 2017.
- For the visually impaired we’ve done an initial revamp of the Voice Over accessibility of the puzzle page - turn on Voice Over from iOS Settings, General, Accessibility, Vision and we’ll read the clues to you as you go through the puzzle. We’ll continue to work towards improving in future releases.
- Now optimized for the iPhone X
# Fun Facts
Celebrating 75 Years of The New York Times Crossword: In 1977, Eugene T. Maleska became The Times’s third crossword editor. A former superintendent of schools in the East Bronx, and a lover of Latin, opera and poetry, he brought a new level of culture and seriousness to the puzzle.
2.8.6
2017-11-14
# Fixes and Updates
- Everybody gets until midnight Pacific Time to get their gold star. Keep that streak alive, solvers!
- Fix to contrast puzzle settings that caused color scheme to switch for some users
- Fix to crash bugs reported for some iPad users on iOS 9.3.5
- Fix to crash bugs reported for some users on iOS 11
- Updates to keep your NYT account and new-puzzle notifications humming and running smoothly
# Fun Facts
This answer has shown up 65 times in our 75 year history with clues like
Run out of clothes?
DiMaggio’s 56 in 1941
A gambler may have a hot or cold one
Barely move?
Figured it out?
The answer is STREAK
2.8.5
2017-10-10
# Fixes and Updates
- Updates to the app to take advantage of new changes in iOS 11
- Fixes to Stats and Packs screen display issues
- Fixes to Stats screen to reflect proper streak data
# Fun Facts
The Answer ELEVEN has appeared 139 times during the Will Shortz era - often clued as “Football team” or “Soccer team”, but also as “One plus one?” and “7’s retail partner.” But best of all “On a scale of 1 to 10, what one amp in ”This Is Spinal Tap” goes to”
2.8.4
2017-09-08
# Fixes and Updates
- Fixed a bug that limited access during offline or airplane mode
- Added additional safeguards to improve app stability with malformed puzzles
- Other minor bugs smashed
# Fun Facts
Celebrating 75 Years of The New York Times Crossword: When Margaret Farrar, the grande dame of crosswords, retired from The Times in 1969, Will Weng, previously head of The Times’s Metropolitan Desk, took over as the crossword editor. He added sly humor to the clues and more wordplay to the themes.
2.8.2
2017-06-30
# Fixes and Updates
- Prompts you if you want to resume your last puzzle when you’ve minimized the app for more than a minute
- Update to Swift 3.0
- Other minor bugs smashed
# Fun Facts
Celebrating 75 Years of The New York Times Crossword: The first editor of the puzzle was Margaret Farrar, who became the grande dame of American crosswords through 27 years at the paper. Farrar set a new standard for crosswords by raising the quality of the constructions and by rigorous editing.
2.8.1
2017-02-13
We’re celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Crossword being in The New York Times! Our gift to you is a free pack of puzzles from our archives, including the very first puzzle (which is admittedly really hard and a reflection of the culture of that time). Puzzles are annotated with notes by Will Shortz. Enjoy!
# Fixes
- Improve packs screen display for iPad users
- Other minor bug fixes
# Fun Facts
On November 17, 1924, an editorial in The New York Times calls crossword puzzles "a primitive sort of mental exercise" and a "sinful waste" of time. Another editorial four days later predicts their swift disappearance. After Pearl Harbor, the Times becomes the last major New York daily to add the puzzle on February 15, 1942. As the first editor of the Crossword noted, "I don't think I have to sell you on the increased demand for this kind of pastime in an increasingly worried world. You can't think of your troubles while solving a crossword. . . ."
2.8.0
2017-01-23
# New Main Screen Features for 2017
- We’ve made it easier to access the most recent Daily and Mini puzzles. Eight days of puzzles are just a swipe and a tap away.
- Our Daily puzzles get harder throughout the week, from easy Mondays to very challenging Saturdays. New users can now scroll back to earlier in the week to find a puzzle that matches their skill level.
- We also produce a new puzzle pack every week, now located just beneath our regularly scheduled Daily and Mini puzzles. To celebrate our new homepage, we’ve added a free Mini Starter Pack; give it a try!
# Fixes
- The new-puzzle notification toggle on the profile screen has been fixed.
# Fun Facts
HOMEPAGE can be traced back to 1993 but its first and only appearance as an answer in The New York Times Crossword was a decade later in 2003. It was clued as “Modern place of entry.” The word HOME has appeared 42 times, most often clued as “Where the heart is” and SCREEN has appeared 21 times, but never in the sense of a mobile or computer screen.
2.7.4
2016-10-07
# Fixes and Features
- Optimized for iOS 10 - you must have iOS 9 or higher to get our future updates - be sure to update your OS to get all the new features!
- Fixed an issue where stats would incorrectly roll over on Sunday to show the upcoming week, resulting in Sunday stats never being displayed.
# Fun Facts
While IOS has appeared as an answer in the Daily Crossword 42 times in the Will Shortz era, the first time that it was clued in reference to Apple was just four years ago in September 2012 (some five years after the introduction of the operating system in 2007). Prior to that it had been clued as “Aegean island on which Homer is said to be buried” or “Colorful moths.”
2.7.3
2016-09-08
# Fixes
- Fixes a crash on launch for some users.
- Fixes a crash when some users try to log in.
- Fixes a crash when restoring purchases fails for some users.
- Fixes a crash for some users after logging in during the onboarding process.
# Fun Facts
CRASH has appeared as an answer in The New York Times Crossword eight times and BUG has appeared 15 times. No wonder SORRY has appeared 16 times.
2.7.2
2016-09-07
# Fixes and Updates
- We’ve upgraded our authentication and login system to improve syncing your progress across different devices and the web.
- We crushed more bugs. Thanks as always for your feedback!
# Fun Facts
- One of the most used five letter words is ERATO - the Greek Muse of love poetry. Of the nine Greek Muses, only POLYHYMNIA (the muse of sacred poetry) has never appeared in the New York Times Crossword.
2.7.1
2016-05-05
# TV Play!
- You can now use AirPlay to stream your crossword puzzle to your Apple TV - harness the collective knowledge of your friends and family to collaboratively solve the toughest puzzles! Just swipe up from the bottom of the app for the iOS Control Center, select AirPlay and follow the instructions to get started.
# Fixes
- If you've signed up to be notified when the new daily puzzle is available, you'll begin to receive those notifications; we’ve also added the ability to manage those notifications within the settings screen.
- We crushed several other bugs. Thanks for your feedback!
# Fun Facts
- The most used word in the paper’s puzzle? “ERA” appears in about 5.9% of all crossword puzzles in The New York Times.
- Learn to speak crosswordese: NENE - a Hawaiian goose (which just happens to be the state bird).