L.A. Times Daily Crossword: FAQ (2024)

Why the new Crossword Puzzle?
We are excited to launch the new L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle. This new puzzle will enable you to play in a larger and easier to use game with several new features. The new puzzle is also very mobile friendly for those who want to play on the go.

Where do I find The L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle?
On the Web, at latimes.com/crossword

Do I have to be an L.A. Times subscriber to play?
No. All games are free to play.

When are new puzzles published?
The puzzle is published every day at midnight Eastern Standard Time or 9 PM Pacific Standard Time.

How do I solve a puzzle?
Click on either a clue or a box in the grid to start entering an answer. The clues for words that have been entirely filled in are marked gray, whether the answer is correct or not.

How do I navigate through the puzzle if I’m doing the crossword on a computer?
You can move the cursor to the left, to the right, up, or down with the arrow keys. You can jump to the next clue by pressing enter (or tab), or to the previous clue by holding shift and pressing enter (or tab). Press the space bar to change direction between across and down clues.

How do I navigate through the puzzle if I’m doing the crossword on a smartphone?
After you enter a word, the cursor automatically jumps to the next word in the current direction. To change the direction, you can either click on the yellow clue bar or the focused box on the grid.

How do I print a puzzle?
Click on the word Print in the upper-right corner above the grid. You will be given the option to print an empty grid, the grid with the letters filled in so far, or the grid with the entire solution. (Do not use the browser’s print option; it will not work.)

How do I get help with a clue if I’m stuck?
Click the word “Reveal” above the grid. You can reveal the current square, the current word, or the entire solution.

Can I check whether my answers are correct?
Click on “Settings,” in the top right corner, and find “Error check mode” in the drop-down menu. Move the switch to “on.” In error-check mode, correctly solved clues appear in green and incorrectly solved clues appear in red. (Incorrect letters in the grid will also appear in red.)

How can I check if a single letter or word is correct?
Click the word “Check” above the grid, and select the option to verify the current square, the current word, or the entire grid. Incorrect letters will turn red.

Can I save a partially solved puzzle and come back to it later?
Yes. Your game should be saved if you return to the crossword using the same device and the same browser you used to start the puzzle. Also the cookies need to be allowed from all websites and the browser should not be in incognito mode.

When typing an answer, the cursor skips over already filled letters. Can I change this behavior?
By default, the puzzle is in skip mode: the cursor skips over filled squares and jumps to the next unfilled square and stops at the end of the word. You can turn off “Skip” mode by clicking on “Settings” and unchecking the box next to “Skip over filled letters.”

Can I pause the timer?
Yes. Click on the timer to pause it.

Is it possible to hide the timer?
Yes. Click on “Settings,” in the top right corner, locate “Show Timer” in the menu that appears, and flip the switch to the off position.

How do I reset the puzzle?
To reset the puzzle, click on the menu icon in the top left corner above the grid, and select “Clear” from the drop-down menu. The grid will be cleared and the clock will be reset to zero.

I cannot see the clues. Why?
If you cannot see the clues, please widen your browser window or adjust the zoom on your browser to normal zoom level.

How can I view and play old puzzles?
You can find old puzzles here (just scroll down the page). We offer two weeks of puzzles.

How can I submit feedback or questions about the L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle?
For technical questions and feedback, email membershipservices@latimes.com.