The New York Times Crossword—a cultural staple since its debut on February 15, 1942—is a daily American-style crossword puzzle edited by legendary crossword guru Will Shortz (since 1993) . Each weekday, a new 15×15 puzzle is released online and in the print paper, growing in difficulty as the week progresses: Monday being the easiest, Friday and Saturday delivering real brain-teasers. Sunday brings a 21×21 themed puzzle, large in format yet typically on par with Thursday’s nightly challenge .
Available through the NYT Games platform, the Crossword is part of a broader casual-gaming suite that now includes the Mini Crossword, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Tiles, and others—reflecting the Times’ major expansion into digital gaming . According to Vanity Fair, the Games department now spans around 100 staff, with the Crossword as the flagship product anchoring new subscriber growth. Letter Boxed, a word-puzzle spin-off introduced in 2019 by editor Sam Ezersky, adds variety to the Times’ wordplay portfolio.
