Is the NYT mini crossword free?

What the reports agree on

For years the mini was the free front door to the Times games. In late August 2025 that door closed. USA TODAY is the only source in this set that names the day: 26 August 2025. CNET and Mashable say late August and do not give a second calendar date. I am not writing 27 August. No source in this set names that day. The price USA TODAY and CNET print is $6 a month or $50 a year.

The same stories list games that stayed free: Wordle, Connections, Strands, Sudoku, Pips, and Connections Sports Edition. Spelling Bee is described as limited free play. The mini, the midi, and the full crossword sit with the subscription.

If you just want a 5×5

This site’s puzzle does not unlock the Times puzzle. It is a different grid you can fill without an account. Newspaper minis are a third option: the Los Angeles Times, the Guardian, and the current Boston Globe puzzle are described by their own pages as free to open, with different rules for old puzzles. The comparison page lines those up.

A library card is mentioned by CNET as one way some readers still reach Times games. I am not repeating a click-path I cannot see on a public help page, so I am not listing menu names for that route.

Can I still play the Times mini without paying?

The help center says a subscription is required. News reports describe the change as a paywall in late August 2025.

Did it start on 26 or 27 August?

USA TODAY says 26 August 2025. I do not have a source for the 27th. CNET and Mashable say late August.

Is Wordle behind the same wall?

USA TODAY and CNET say Wordle stayed free. The mini did not.