In September 2021, the New York Times ended support for Across Lite and the .puz crossword files that third-party tools used to access its puzzles, according to Hackaday’s report. The change prompted concern among solvers and app developers who valued offline play, accessibility features, and other ways to solve outside the Times’ own tools. The available reporting describes a historical dispute; it does not establish the Times’ current .puz policy or the present capabilities of any app.
What the Times decision changed
Hackaday reported that Games Editorial Director Everdeen Mason announced the end of support for Across Lite. The issue was distribution and compatibility: .puz files had served as a format used by a community of crossword solvers, developers, and puzzle checkers. The report does not describe a change to how crossword clues were written.
Puzzazz, a third-party crossword app, said the Times had removed its ability to download puzzles included in a user’s subscription. Puzzazz also said the change affected non-Times apps seeking .puz files. That is Puzzazz’s description of the impact, rather than a statement from the Times.
Hackaday described third-party tools as offering options such as offline solving, accessibility support, and team solving. The reporting does not verify which apps currently provide those features or open .puz files.
#1 Best Overall
Why the Times said it made the change
Hackaday reproduced Mason’s explanation that the decision was editorial: the team wanted editors to create games without adapting them for tools the Times could not control. As quoted in the article, Mason said: “Hi. I’m the one who made this call and I did it for editorial reasons. I’m trying to build something where the editors can actual edit and make games rather than adapt things for tools we can’t control. It takes a lot of time, and I’m confident this is the best move for my team”. The phrase “actual edit” is reproduced as printed by Hackaday.
This is the rationale attributed to the Times’ editorial director in the 2021 report. It does not establish other motives sometimes speculated about in discussion of the change, such as forcing subscriptions or monetizing archive access.
Why third-party developers objected
For solvers, a format change could affect more than which app opened a puzzle: it could disrupt existing workflows and features developers had built around downloadable files. Puzzazz said it was willing to accept a different file format, framing the issue as continued access to puzzles through its app.
Puzzazz founder Roy Leban’s statement, reproduced by Hackaday, said: “We have never received any revenue from doing this — in fact, it costs us money every year.” Puzzazz described supporting Times crosswords because it wanted solvers to experience the puzzle as the editors intended and have a good digital solving experience. The financial claim is Leban’s account, not independently audited information.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
What Puzzazz users could still solve at the time
Puzzazz’s statement described several cases in which users could continue solving puzzles: puzzles already downloaded by the app, puzzles saved from the Times archive, and puzzles already opened in Puzzazz, subject to the conditions on its page. It also said puzzles published after January 1, 2013 had been processed to match the print edition. These were descriptions of Puzzazz’s service at the time, not assurances about current app behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the historical options compared
| Solving path | Offline access | App or format | Print presentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-party tools using Times .puz downloads | Hackaday describes offline play as a feature offered by third-party tools; current support is not established. | Across Lite and .puz files were the compatibility point in the 2021 dispute; current availability is not established. | Puzzazz said it processed puzzles published after January 1, 2013 to match the print edition. |
| Times’ own games offering | Current offline behavior is not established by the cited reporting. | The dispute concerned third-party access to downloadable files; current official-app features are not established. | The reporting does not establish current presentation details. |
| Printed puzzles | Yes, once printed. | Paper solving; no app or file format is required. | Printed puzzle page. |
Hackaday said Times online puzzles appeared in 1996 and that its .puz archive extended back to 1993. Those dates are historical claims in that report, not evidence that the files remain available today.
Quick Recap
Best Value
What solvers can conclude—and what remains unknown
- The 2021 story was about access, distribution, and interoperability around Times crossword files—not a reported change to clue writing.
- The Times’ stated reason, as reported, was to let editors build games without adapting them to outside tools.
- Third-party developers saw the format change as a threat to delivering puzzles through their apps; Puzzazz said it would accept a different format.
- The cited material does not establish current .puz availability, current third-party access, or present-day app features. A printed crossword book is an offline alternative, but these sources do not show that any particular book is Times-branded or contains Times puzzles.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
