Mini crossword apps
NYT Games is available on iPhone and Android, but its Mini needs a subscription. The Guardian app also covers both platforms and says its puzzles are free. Store links and dated Apple figures are below.
| App | Seller | Download | Rating | Size (bytes) | Updated | Mini note | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword | The New York Times Company | Free download | 4.80 / 299,564 | 156,190,720 | 3 Nov 2026, v6.49.0 | Mini needs a subscription | 1 source · Apple API |
| The Guardian | Guardian News & Media | Free | 4.86 / 113,569 | 216,105,984 | 3 Nov 2026, v14.1 | Puzzles free | 1 source · Apple API |
| Mini Crossword Daily | Danger Apps Inc. | Free + purchases | 4.77 / 5,101 | 61,422,592 | 12 Sep 2025, v2.4.1 | Two dailies, packs cost extra | 1 source · Apple API |
| Puzzmo | Puzzmo Inc. | Free | 3.67 / 181 | 12,178,432 | 24 Oct 2026, v1.3.3 | Archive needs Plus | 1 source · Apple API |
| LA Times | Los Angeles Times | Free | 4.59 / 19,565 | 39,006,208 | 2 Nov 2026, v6.1.3 | News app, not a crossword app | 1 source · Apple API |
A free download is not a free mini
The Apple catalog is one source, and it is a good one for file size and rating counts, but it is still one source. I am not pairing it with a blog that repeats the same numbers. The NYT Games app is free to install and large, about 156 MB on that check, version 6.49.0 on 3 November 2026. Installing it does not unlock the mini. The mini sits with the games subscription, the same wall described on the paywall page. The app also carries the midi.
The Guardian app is the opposite bargain on puzzles: the puzzles note says they are free, and the catalog shows a free app with a high rating count. It is a news app that happens to include the mini, which is fine if you already wanted the Guardian. Puzzmo’s app is tiny, about 12 MB, with only 181 ratings in that snapshot, so I would not treat 3.67 as a settled reputation. Mini Crossword Daily, from Danger Apps, is free with purchases and describes two daily puzzles plus packs. The LA Times listing is a news app. Do not install it expecting a dedicated crossword.
Android, and the home-screen option
The public Google Play listings confirm NYT Games and The Guardian on Android. NYT’s Help Center also describes both Android and iOS editions. The Guardian’s puzzles guide says its Mini and archive are in the app, free to play without signing in. Android version numbers and file sizes are blank here because the public listings did not supply matching values; the Apple figures above apply only to Apple’s US catalog. On either phone you can open this site, use the board, and use the browser’s “add to home screen” if you want an icon. That icon is still the website. It does not become the Times app, and it does not download 156 MB.
| App | iPhone / iPad | Android | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYT Games | App Store | Google Play | 1 publisher · both official store listings; NYT Help confirms Android and iOS |
| The Guardian | App Store | Google Play | 1 publisher · both official store listings and Guardian puzzles guide |
| Mini Crossword Daily | App Store | 1 source · Apple; Android availability not established | |
| Puzzmo | App Store | 1 source · Apple; Android availability not established | |
| LA Times | App Store | 1 source · Apple; news app, not a dedicated Mini player |
Questions
What is the best free mini crossword app?
If “free” means the puzzles, the Guardian’s own note says its puzzles are free. If “free” means the download button, several apps qualify and then charge inside.
Does NYT Games include the mini?
The app includes it. Playing it needs the subscription.
Why are there no Android ratings?
The numerical table is Apple’s US catalog only. Android availability is linked separately; Android download size and version were not supplied in the comparable public fields.
Sources
Public-source check: 2026-11-04. Pages from the same publisher count as one source.
- Apple iTunes Search API, NYT Games query
- Apple API: Guardian
- Apple API: Mini Crossword Daily
- Apple API: Puzzmo
- Apple API: LA Times
- NYT Games on Google Play
- The Guardian on Google Play
- NYT Help Center: subscription requirement
- Guardian puzzles are free