Solve crossword and crossword mini puzzles in News on iPad

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. You can tap squares to select words or choose clues from a list.

You don’t have to solve puzzles all at once. You can return at any time. The timer pauses while you’re away.

Note: Apple News, Apple News+, and puzzles aren’t available in all countries or regions. See the iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability website.

A partially filled crossword puzzle, with the clues on each side.

Solve in grid view

Go to the News app on your iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Tap a square to show the clue below the puzzle, then use the keyboard to enter the answer. You move to other squares as you type. You can also tap < or > next to the clue to move to the previous or next clue.
With the keyboard showing, switch from across to down, or vice versa, by tapping the selected square again or tapping the clue.

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 iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Tap .

Tap to return to grid view.

A partially filled crossword puzzle in list 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 iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Tap , then do any of the following:
- Mark incorrect answers: Tap Autocheck, Check Square, Check Word, or Check Puzzle.
- Reveal answers: Tap Reveal, then tap Square, Word, or Puzzle to display the correct answer.
  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. Tap , then turn on Highlight Linked Clues.

Always use Autocheck

When you turn on Autocheck inside a puzzle, it stays on for that puzzle only. If you want Autocheck to stay on all the time, follow these steps:

Go to the News app on your iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Tap , choose Settings, then turn on Always Autocheck.
Tap , 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 iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Tap .
Tap Clear Puzzle.

Change how you move around the puzzle

Go to the News app on your iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Tap , then 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 setting off to select the square to the right or the square below, whether or not it’s filled.
- At End of Word: Choose Advance If Complete, Always Advance, or Don’t Advance.

Show or hide the timer

You can show or hide the timer that appears above your puzzle.

Go to the News app on your iPad.
Open a crossword or crossword mini puzzle.
Do one of the following:
- Tap .
- Tap , then tap Show Timer or Hide Timer.

A partially filled crossword mini puzzle, with the clues on one side.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide