Daily puzzle games
Crosswords and a number grid
The Los Angeles Times calls its crossword the nation's oldest newspaper crossword and says it is free every day. The Guardian publishes Quick, Sunday quick, Mini, Quiptic, Cryptic, Prize, Genius, and Weekend specials in the browser. NYT Sudoku's own line is that it is a numbers game minus the math. The Times games hub also lists the Mini crossword and says to subscribe for unlimited access, so I am not folding the whole Times archive into the word "free."
Jigsaw Planet says it has millions of free jigsaw puzzles you can create, play, and share. That is a different daily habit from a crossword, which is why both sit on this page and the best-of page picks fewer of them.
What I checked
I used the official sentences above on 30 September 2026. I did not time myself on a Guardian cryptic, so there is no personal solve claim on this page.
Questions
Which crossword is described as free?
The LA Times says free every day. The Guardian set is online without a price on the page I read. The Times hub mentions a subscription for unlimited access.
Is a jigsaw a daily game?
Jigsaw Planet is a free puzzle site. I am not claiming it publishes exactly one puzzle at midnight.
Sources
- LA Times crossword — Free every day, in the site's words.
- Guardian crosswords — Quick through Genius, checked 2026-09-30.
- NYT Sudoku — Numbers game, minus the math.