What the New York Times Games subscription includes

The New York Times Games subscription gives you unlimited access to the Times's collection of word and logic puzzles through their website and mobile apps. The subscription includes the daily crossword, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed, Waffle, and several others — roughly a dozen different puzzle types in total. You solve them on your phone, tablet, or computer, and your progress syncs across devices.

The subscription costs $39.95 per year or $3.99 per month, billed to a credit or debit card. You can pause or cancel at any time. The Times also offers a bundle that combines Games with their News subscription (digital access to articles) and Cooking (their recipe database) for a higher annual price, though Games alone is the standalone option.

Without a subscription, you can solve a limited number of puzzles each month for free — usually a few crosswords and one or two other games. The paywall resets monthly. A subscription removes that limit entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • A Games subscription costs $3.99 per month or $39.95 per year and includes unlimited access to all Times puzzles on web and mobile.
  • You can solve a few puzzles free each month before hitting the paywall, so you can try the games before paying.
  • Your puzzle history, streaks, and solve times are saved to your Times account and visible across all your devices.
  • You can pause your subscription for up to three months without losing your account, then resume it later.

How to start a Games subscription

Go to nytimes.com/games on a web browser or open the New York Times Games app (available free on iOS and Android). Tap or click any puzzle you want to solve. When you hit the paywall — usually after your free monthly puzzles are used — you'll see a prompt to subscribe.

Tap "Subscribe" and choose your plan: monthly or annual. Enter your email address, create a password, and provide your payment method. The Times will send a confirmation email. Your subscription is active when ready, and you can start solving puzzles right away.

If you already have a New York Times account for news or other services, sign in with that account instead of creating a new one. Your Games subscription will attach to the same account, and you'll see all your puzzle history in one place.

What happens to your puzzles and streaks

Every puzzle you solve is recorded in your Times Games account. The app tracks your solve time, whether you used hints, and whether you completed it without mistakes. This data is stored on the Times's servers, not just on your device, so you can switch phones or computers and your history remains intact.

Many Games — the crossword, Spelling Bee, Waffle, and others — track daily streaks. A streak is the number of consecutive days you've solved that puzzle. If you miss a day, the streak resets to zero. Your current streak and your longest streak are both visible in your stats. Streaks are tied to your account, so they follow you across devices.

You can view your statistics for each puzzle type: total solves, average solve time, and your best time. This information is private to your account unless you choose to share it.

Pausing, canceling, or switching plans

To pause your subscription, sign into your Times account on nytimes.com, go to your account settings, and find the Games subscription section. You'll see an option to pause for up to three months. During a pause, you won't be charged, but you also won't have access to the full puzzle library — you'll return to the free tier. When the pause ends, your subscription resumes automatically and you're charged again.

To cancel entirely, go to the same settings page and select "Cancel subscription." The Times will ask why you're leaving and may offer you a discount to stay. If you confirm the cancellation, your access ends at the end of your current billing period. You won't be charged again, but you'll lose access to unlimited puzzles.

If you want to switch from monthly to annual (or vice versa), you can change your plan in account settings without canceling. The change takes effect at your next billing date.

Accessing Games on different devices

Your subscription works on the New York Times Games website (nytimes.com/games) and the official New York Times Games app for iPhone and Android. Sign in with the same email and password on each device, and your subscription is recognized on all of them.

Your puzzle history, streaks, and stats sync automatically across devices. If you solve the daily crossword on your phone in the morning and want to check your stats on your computer later, you'll see the same information. There's no limit to how many devices you can sign in on.

The Games app is free to read. You only pay for the subscription itself, not for the app.

Troubleshooting common issues

If you're charged but can't access puzzles, your subscription may not have activated yet. Check your email for a confirmation message from the Times — it can take a few minutes to process. If you don't see one after 15 minutes, sign out of your account completely and sign back in.

If you see the paywall even though you have an active subscription, you may be signed into the wrong account. Check that the email address shown in your account settings matches the one you used to purchase the subscription. If you have multiple Times accounts, make sure you're using the one with the active Games subscription.

If you're on the Games app and it's not recognizing your subscription, try closing the app completely and reopening it. If that doesn't work, sign out in the app's settings, then sign back in. App subscriptions sometimes need a moment to sync with the Times's servers.

If you were charged twice in one month, contact the Times's customer service through your account settings. They can review your billing history and issue a refund if there was an error.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my subscription with family members?

The subscription is tied to one email address and password. Technically, you can share your login with family members, but the Times's terms of service state that accounts are for personal use only. If you want multiple family members to have their own accounts and streaks, each person would need their own subscription.

What if I forget my password?

Go to nytimes.com and click "Sign In," then click "Forgot your password?" Enter your email address and the Times will send you a link to reset it. Click the link in your email, create a new password, and you're back in. This works whether you access Games on the web or the app.

Do I lose my puzzle history if I cancel?

Your puzzle history is stored on the Times's servers, not deleted when you cancel. If you resubscribe later with the same email address, your history and streaks will be there. However, if you don't resubscribe, you won't be able to view that history — it's only visible to active subscribers.

Can I get a refund if I change my mind?

The Times generally does not offer refunds for subscriptions, but you can cancel at any time and you won't be charged again. If you cancel within a few days of purchasing, contact customer service through your account settings and explain your situation — they may make an exception.

What's the difference between the Games subscription and the Games bundle?

The Games subscription is puzzles only. The bundle combines Games with the Times's News subscription (full access to articles) and Cooking (recipes and food writing). The bundle costs more per year but gives you three products instead of one. You can buy Games alone or upgrade to the bundle later if you want.