NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword
Is NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword free? Free with a Catch.
Pricing: NYT Games keeps Wordle and a couple of puzzles (Pips, Strands) free, but most of the catalog - including the Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections, and the puzzle archive - sits behind a Games subscription priced around $5.99/month (a $4.99 promo tier also appears), or a Crossword-only subscription at $6.99/month or $39.99/year. Optional paid features: Games subscription (monthly) ($5.99); Games subscription (promo monthly) ($4.99); Crossword-only subscription (monthly) ($6.99); Crossword-only subscription (annual) ($39.99).
A strong daily puzzle collection with some genuinely free games, but much of the broader catalog is now subscription-gated and free users also see ads. There is still meaningful free play, so the app is usable without paying, just notably constrained.
- Wordle and other selected daily puzzles remain playable for free.
- Reviewers consistently praise the puzzle quality and daily variety.
- Stats, streaks, and social comparison add value for regular players.
- Several recent reviewers say more games, including smaller crosswords, have moved behind the subscription.
- Free users report intrusive full-screen or auto-playing ads.
- Recent updates have also drawn complaints about overheating, older-device support, and repeated rating prompts.
NYT Games keeps Wordle and a couple of puzzles (Pips, Strands) free, but most of the catalog - including the Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections, and the puzzle archive - sits behind a Games subscription priced around $5.99/month (a $4.99 promo tier also appears), or a Crossword-only subscription at $6.99/month or $39.99/year.
- Wordle playable free
- Pips & Strands currently free
- Leaderboards & stats
- Games subscription (monthly)$5.99
- Games subscription (promo monthly)$4.99
- Crossword-only subscription (monthly)$6.99
- Crossword-only subscription (annual)$39.99
New York Times Games is the essential app for anyone who loves word, logic and number games. Guess the Wordle, solve the Crossword or build words in Spelling Bee. Free to download, the app offers new puzzles daily for every skill level. App Features and Games: NEW: THE MIDI CROSSWORD - Crush this clever midsize word puzzle. - Just-right size between the Mini and the Crossword. - Enjoy approachable clues, special puzzles and a path to daily wins. THE CROSSWORD - The classic daily New York Times puzzle you love. - Crack clues and fill the grid with answers. - Crosswords increase in difficulty throughout the week. WORDLE - The official Wordle, a word-guessing game. - Can you guess the 5-letter word in 6 tries or less? - Analyze your guesses and improve your skills with Wordle Bot. CONNECTIONS - Group words that share a common thread. - Organize 16 terms into four categories using word associations and strategy in this brain teaser - Analyze your guesses and see how you stack up with Connections Bot. SPELLING BEE - Is spelling your strong suit? - See how many words you can create with 7 letters. - Build more words to earn more points. SUDOKU - Looking for a numbers game, minus the math? - Fill each 3x3 set of boxes with numbers 1 to 9. - Play a new puzzle every day in easy, medium or hard mode. STRANDS - Try this classic word search, with a twist. - Find hidden words and uncover the day’s theme. - How many words can you find? THE MINI CROSSWORD - All the fun of the Crossword, but you can solve it in seconds. - A spin on our original word game, with simpler clues. - Puzzles don’t increase in difficulty throughout the week. PIPS - Find the right spot for each domino. - Leverage logic and arrange dominoes in this brain teaser. - Play three puzzles daily: Easy, medium and hard. TILES - Unwind with a pattern-matching game. - The key is to match elements consecutively. - Can you keep your chain going? LETTER BOXED - Build words using letters around the square. - Test your word-making skills with daily puzzles. - Connect characters and see how many words you can create. BADGES - Earn badges for Spelling Bee, Wordle and Connections. - Celebrate your streaks and wins. STATS - Looking for your longest solving streak? - Wondering how many puzzles you’ve solved? - Track your progress with stats for the Crossword, Spelling Bee, Wordle, Connections and Strands. - Plus, monitor your average solve times. LEADERBOARD - Add friends and follow daily scores across Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and the Mini. - Plus, explore your score history to see how your word game scores stack up over time. PUZZLE ARCHIVE - Subscribers can solve over 10,000 past puzzles from New York Times Games. - Explore puzzle archives for Wordle, Connections, Strands, Spelling Bee, the Crossword and the Mini. HINTS - Find tips and strategize with fellow solvers in the forums. Just tap the light bulb while playing. - Available for Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and Strands. BY DOWNLOADING THE NEW YORK TIMES GAMES APP, you agree to: • The New York Times Privacy Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/privacy-policy • The New York Times Cookie Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/cookie-policy • The New York Times California Privacy Notices: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/california-notice • The New York Times Terms of Service: https://www.nytimes.com/content/help/rights/terms/terms-of-service.html • Apple Terms of Sale: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html
