by Jason Snell
New York Times Crossword to third-party apps: Drop dead
Everdeen Mason of the New York Times, with an abrupt announcement:
Starting Aug. 10, we will no longer support crossword play on Across Lite. This means we won’t provide downloadable .puz files for use on that platform. You can play the NYT crossword on our Crossword App and on desktop and mobile web.
This decision will limit crossword players to the Times’s own app and website. Previously, you could play it in various third-party apps, including Red Sweater’s Black Ink on Mac and iOS. This decision reduces the choices of paying subscribers and has some accessibility implications, too.