The Emery student community has recently suffered a significant loss, one impacting students across all grades. As of Aug. 27, 2025, the New York Times Mini Crossword has become subscription-only. While Emery graciously provides students with a subscription, the crossword puzzle now requires an additional games subscription, one that blocks many students from accessing it.
For me, my morning was not complete without three things — checking my email, logging onto Blackbaud, and of course, playing the NYT Mini Crossword. It was a beautiful way to start my morning and get my brain working before working an essay draft.
Many other Emery students echoed this mindset, and for many, the Mini was a staple in their morning routine. Senior Anya Brokhin expresses that “having to go straight to schoolwork is hard. [The Mini has] always been a part of my daily routine and now it’s gone.”
The absence of this pastime is strongly felt in class. Senior Darcy Sabloff describes herself as “devastated.” Sabloff continues, “Now I have to pay attention in class or play other mind numbing games instead of smartening myself with the Mini.”
So, while students will always play games in class, now that the Mini is no longer an option, the caliber of these student distractions has been seriously reduced. While there are several free crossword puzzles, “Nothing beats the NYT Mini,” argues Sabloff. In response, senior Laila Wright has been investigating several alternatives, although it is hard to find games that compare. Wright reveals that she has now turned to games like Minesweeper, Slope, and Papa’s Freezeria. With the popularity of these games rising now that the Mini has been taken from nonsubscribers, the question arises: what will replace the NYT Mini?
