Solve crossword and crossword mini puzzles in News on Mac
Apple News+ subscribers get access to 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.Click Puzzles in the sidebar (below Sections), click Crossword or Crossword Mini, then choose a puzzle to solve.
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 toward 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, turn on Highlight Linked Clues, then click 
.
Sometimes crossword grids include circles. The letters in the circles relate to that puzzle’s theme.
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, turn on Always Autocheck, then click .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, then choose what happens as you enter a letter or an answer:Go to the next empty square: Select Skip Filled Squares.
Go to the next square, whether or not it’s filled in: Deselect Skip Filled Squares.
Go to the next clue: Next to “At End of Word,” choose Advance If Complete or Always Advance.
Don’t go to the next clue: Next to “At End of Word,” choose Don’t Advance.
Show or hide the timer
Go to the News app
on your Mac.Click
.