I am a fan of the New York Occasions Mini Crossword — a sporty, streamlined companion to the newspaper’s legendary common day by day crossword. Usually, the Mini Crossword (we publish the solutions day by day) has roughly a dozen clues to work by means of — six across-clues and 6 down-clues — and you may full it in lower than a minute if all goes properly.
It makes me really feel sensible, not like the large crossword, which generally makes me throw issues.
However in late August, some Mini Crossword gamers instantly ran right into a paywall. From that time on, anybody who would not pay for a Occasions subscription with a Video games package deal has been required to subscribe in the event that they wish to proceed fixing the Mini Crossword.
Naturally, gamers had been… properly, what’s a five-letter phrase for bummed out? UPSET?
“Every day that passes, a little bit of happiness is positioned behind a paywall,” wrote one Reddit person.
One other wrote, “Doing this crossword on the way in which house every day from work was my little ritual.”
Pay to play: Video games subscription for full entry
Even when you’ve got a digital subscription to the New York Occasions, you won’t have full Video games entry. The Occasions has priced a Video games subscription separate from its information, which prices $6 a month. There are annual sign-up choices that would prevent cash, totaling about $50 a yr. You additionally would possibly see totally different promotional choices or introductory gross sales now and again.
Some puzzles are nonetheless free
Although some puzzles are nonetheless free (see beneath), the payment for full Video games entry comes shortly after the New York Occasions added one other on-line sport, Pips, a type of dominoes.
“We now supply 10 distinct puzzles, a wealthy and numerous portfolio that displays each the breadth of gameplay and the depth of experiences our crew of puzzle editors and constructors has constructed,” a spokesperson for the Occasions instructed me in a press release. “With a number of video games remaining free to play for all, our portfolio incorporates a dynamic mixture of free puzzles and subscriber-only choices, creating alternatives for each form of solver to interact with us, every single day of the week.”
Clearly, the newspaper has to pay its puzzle constructors, editors and journalists. The outdated saying about how there isn’t any free lunch applies to video games as properly.
“Subscribers not solely help our journalism however assist us hold making the high-quality puzzles individuals like to play,” the assertion stated. “Whereas we hope solvers will see the worth in subscribing, we’re dedicated to making sure there’s nonetheless a wealthy and satisfying expertise for individuals who do not.”
These New York Occasions puzzles are nonetheless free to nonsubscribers:
Additionally, nonsubscribers have restricted entry to Spelling Bee, the puzzle that permits you to make phrases out of sure letters. That puzzle permits non-Video games subscribers to play as much as a sure level quantity, then requires a subscription to maintain enjoying.
Your library is your pal
When you simply cannot afford a Video games subscription, log in to your native public library.
I am in Seattle, and the Seattle Public Library provides library cardholders free on-line entry to its expanded New York Occasions subscription, which incorporates Video games entry and entry to different Occasions divisions, resembling Cooking and The Athletic.