When The New Yorker débuted a weekly crossword puzzle, back in 2018, we hoped that it would give our readers an outlet for “pleasurable procrastination.” Six years (and possibly a few missed deadlines) later, that ambition remains. But, in an age of productivity hacking, we understand that there are days when an unfilled grid is at odds with a towering to-do list, and the overscheduled puzzler wants something a bit less demanding of her time.
With that in mind, we bring you the Mini Crossword: a puzzle that you can finish in the span of a subway transfer, a wait in the coffee-shop line, or a Pomodoro break. We’ll publish new Minis twice a week, on Thursdays and Fridays. Friday’s will be bite-size and breezy, and Thursday’s will be slightly larger and trickier. They’ll be made by three seasoned constructors—Kate Chin Park, Mollie Cowger, and Andy Kravis—who know how to pack maximum fun into minimum space.
The arrival of the Mini comes with a few other changes to our crossword programming. Starting today, we’ll publish a challenging puzzle every Monday, a moderately challenging puzzle every Tuesday, and a beginner-friendly puzzle every Wednesday. These full-size crosswords will usually be themeless, but we’ll run the occasional themed puzzle for special issues and events. We’ll no longer publish a cryptic crossword on Sundays, but fans of the form can still access our archive of more than two hundred cryptics. (And if “Learn how to solve cryptics” has been lingering on your to-do list, check out our Cryptic-Crossword Starter Pack.)
We’re releasing two sample Minis today—one bite-size, the other smallish—to give you a taste of what’s to come. If you like them, sign up for the Puzzles & Games newsletter to make sure you never miss a crossword. If you solve puzzles on your phone, we recommend downloading the New Yorker iOS app for the best experience. And, if you’re curious about our other offerings, you can explore them all on our games hub.
You won’t find a fifteen-letter word for “the thief of time” in a New Yorker Mini. But we hope that these puzzles add some variety to your crossword diet, and provide just the right amount of distraction for your busier days. Hustle on, and happy solving. ♦
