It happened on a random Wednesday morning. You woke up, reached for your coffee, opened your browser to smash out the NYT Mini Crossword in under 30 seconds, and—bam. Locked. A shiny new paywall where your 5x5 grid used to be.
Honestly, the internet basically went into a collective meltdown. People on Reddit were claiming their "morning routine was obliterated." Others were just confused because, let's be real, the Mini has been the "free" gateway drug of the New York Times Games stable for over a decade. But as of late August 2025, the honeymoon is officially over.
The NYT Mini no longer free era is our new reality.
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The Quiet Death of the Free Mini
The shift wasn't exactly a Super Bowl ad event. There was no giant countdown or a "goodbye" tour. Instead, users just started hitting a wall on August 27, 2025. One minute you’re solving for "Part of a bachelorette party," the next you're being prompted to shell out for a Games subscription or an All Access pass.
If you're feeling salty about it, you’re in good company. This wasn't just a technical glitch. The New York Times confirmed that the Mini is now a subscriber-only perk. It joins the ranks of the big Sunday puzzle and other favorites like Tiles and Letter Boxed, which also saw their free access chopped down or removed entirely.
Wait. Why now?
The Times is playing a numbers game. They’ve got a goal to hit 15 million subscribers by 2027. Games are their biggest "retention" tool. Basically, if you love the puzzles, you’re less likely to cancel your news subscription. Or, in this case, they’re hoping you’ll pay the $6 a month (or $50 a year) just to keep your streak alive.
What can you still play for free?
It’s not a total blackout. Wordle is still the king of free, and for now, it seems like the "Big W" is staying that way to keep people entering the ecosystem. Connections and the newer game Strands are also still accessible without a subscription—at least for the time being.
But the Spelling Bee? That’s been tightened up too. You used to be able to hit "Solid" or "Good" status before getting cut off. Now, you’re lucky to get more than a couple of words in before the paywall drops. It’s a bit of a squeeze, and it’s clear the Times is betting that the Mini's convenience is worth the price of a latte once a month.
How to Keep Playing Without Breaking the Bank
If you refuse to pay on principle (or your budget is just tight), there are actually legal workarounds. You don't have to go cold turkey on your word game addiction.
1. The Library Loophole (The GOAT Strategy)
Check your local library’s website. Many libraries, like the San Francisco Public Library or various systems in New York and Chicago, offer 72-hour All Access passes to the NYT. You basically log in with your library card, get a code, and you have full access to the News, Cooking, and Games apps for three days. When it expires, you just do it again. It’s a slight hassle, but it’s free.
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2. The New Family Plan
In September 2025, the Times launched a Family Subscription option. It’s about $10 a month for up to four people. If you have a group of friends who all do the Mini, splitting that four ways makes it roughly $2.50 a month each. That’s probably the "cleanest" way to get back into the leaderboards without paying full price.
3. Move to the Alternatives
The NYT isn't the only game in town anymore. If you just want a quick 5x5 grid, several other outlets have stepped up their game:
- The LA Times Mini: It’s free, fast, and feels very similar to the NYT vibe.
- The Washington Post: They have a robust suite of free puzzles, including their own daily mini.
- The New Yorker: They have a crossword that's free on Thursdays and Fridays, though it's a bit more "intellectual" and larger than the 5x5 Mini.
- The People Puzzler: If you like pop culture, this one is surprisingly addictive and currently free on their site.
Why the Mini Move Matters for 2026
Looking forward, this paywall shift is part of a bigger trend. We're seeing the "gamification" of news. The Times knows that you might skip the front-page politics, but you will not skip your daily puzzle. By locking the Mini, they are essentially saying that entertainment is just as valuable as their journalism.
There’s also a new game on the horizon called Crossplay (launching January 21, 2026). It’s a two-player, Scrabble-style board game. Interestingly, it's launching as its own separate app. This tells us the NYT is leaning even harder into the gaming space, trying to compete with the likes of Zynga or Apple Arcade.
If you’re a purist, this feels gross. It feels like the commercialization of a simple morning joy. But for the Times, it’s survival. Print revenue is down, and those digital subscriptions are what keep the lights on for their investigative reporters.
Final Verdict: Is it worth the sub?
If you only play the Mini, $50 a year is a steep price for 30 seconds of gameplay a day. Honestly, just use the LA Times or the library pass.
But if you also use the Spelling Bee, WordleBot, and want to look at the occasional recipe? The Games sub is one of the better-valued entertainment products out there. Just keep an eye out for their "introductory" offers—they almost always have a deal for $1 a month for the first year if you’re a new subscriber.
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Next Steps for the Frustrated Solver:
- Check your local library's "Digital Resources" page to see if they offer NYT access.
- Bookmark the LA Times Mini Crossword as a free backup.
- If you decide to subscribe, do it through the web browser rather than the app store to avoid "Apple/Google taxes" and find better promo codes.
- Sign up for the NYT Games newsletter; they occasionally offer "Free Play" weekends to entice people back.