Solve crossword and crossword mini puzzles in News on Mac
Apple News+ offers subscribers a new crossword and crossword mini puzzle every day. Crossword puzzles start out easy but get increasingly challenging as the week goes on. When you want a puzzle you can solve in next to no time, try an always-easy crossword mini puzzle.
You can navigate and solve crossword and crossword mini puzzles in multiple ways. For example, you can display puzzles in the traditional grid view or instead choose to show clues and answers in a list.
Note: Apple News, Apple News+ and puzzles aren’t available in all countries or regions. See macOS Feature Availability.
Solve in grid view
Go to the News app on your Mac.
If you’re in list view (as below), click to switch to grid view.
Click a square to select a word and enter the answer. You move to other squares as you type.
To switch from across to down, or vice versa, click the selected square again or click a clue in the opposite direction.
Note: You don’t have to solve puzzles in one sitting; you can return at any time. The timer pauses while you’re away.
Solve in list view
You can show clues and answers in a list rather than in the traditional grid.
Go to the News app on your Mac.
Click , then click a clue and enter the answer. You move on to other clues as you type.
Click to return to grid view.
Get hints and answers
If you’re unsure of an answer you entered, you can get a little help.
Go to the News app on your Mac.
Click , then do any of the following:
Mark incorrect answers: Choose Autocheck, Check Square, Check Word or Check Puzzle. Incorrect letters are marked with a slash.
Reveal answers: Choose Reveal, then select Square, Word or Puzzle.
Note: When you reveal all or a portion of a puzzle, it’s not counted towards stats in your Scoreboard or as part of a streak.
Some puzzles have clues that reference other clues. You can highlight these connections. Click , choose Settings, then turn on Highlight Linked Clues.
Always use Autocheck
When you turn on Autocheck inside a puzzle, it stays on for only that puzzle unless you turn on Always Autocheck.
Go to the News app on your Mac.
Click , choose Settings, then turn on Always Autocheck.
Click , then choose Autocheck.
Autocheck stays on for all puzzles of that type until you turn it off.
Restart your puzzle
If you’d like a fresh start, you can clear a puzzle’s answers and reset the timer.
Go to the News app on your Mac.
Click , then choose Clear Puzzle.
Change how you move around the puzzle
Go to the News app on your Mac.
Click , choose Settings and change any of the following settings:
Skip Filled Squares: By default, after entering a letter, the next empty square in the puzzle is selected. Turn this option off to select the square directly to the right or directly below.
At End of Word: Choose Advance If Complete, Always Advance or Don’t Advance.
Show or hide the timer
Click .
Share your puzzle
Go to the News app on your Mac.
Click to share it using Messages, Mail and more.