The Best Of.
Lists we’d actually defend. The crossword apps worth installing, the daily puzzles worth your morning, the cryptic books that won’t humiliate a beginner. Updated when something actually changes.
The 12 best crossword apps to play in 2026, ranked by an editor with too much time.
Not the App Store top charts. The actual list — the apps we’ve been opening every morning for a year and the ones we deleted within a week.
The 9 best daily puzzles for your morning routine, in order of how long they actually take.
From the 90-second NYT Mini to the 22-minute Sunday cryptic. Match the puzzle to the time you actually have.
The 8 best themed crossword apps if you actually like a vibe with your puzzle.
CodyCross, Daily Themed, Themed Crossword Solver. The apps that bundle their grids around a daily concept and somehow make it work.
The 6 best cryptic crossword books for beginners (that won’t humiliate you).
Forget The Times Cryptic Book of Worst Decisions. Here’s where to actually start — books designed for Americans who’ve never heard of “Andy Pandy.”
The 7 best free crossword apps that don’t feel free.
No paywalls. No timed lockouts. No rage-bait video ads. The free apps that actually respect your morning.
The 10 best word games that aren’t crosswords (but are still satisfying for crossword people).
Connections. Spelling Bee. Strands. 7 Little Words. The puzzles that scratch the same itch from a different angle.
The 5 best mini-crosswords for the four free minutes between meetings.
NYT Mini. LinkedIn Mini. The Atlantic Mini. Apple News+. We tested them all on a stopwatch. Here’s the order.
Skip the suffering. Look up an answer.
Best-of lists are for next month’s puzzle. The grid in front of you needs a hand.