Dedicated puzzlers know the daily crossword isn’t just a game – it's a chance to unwind. A moment of quiet to block out all the noise. A ritual.
Today, that ritual gets even sweeter as USA TODAY PLAY launches the MidGrid puzzle, a new medium-sized 9x9 grid, in addition to the existing Quick Cross and Crossword games.
“The USA TODAY Crossword has always been one of our most important puzzle experiences, giving users a trusted daily challenge that’s fun, familiar, and rewarding,” says PLAY's Senior Director Ryan Purtle. “As we’ve expanded our games portfolio through USA TODAY PLAY, our goal has been to build on that strength by offering more variety, more access, and more ways for every type of player to engage with the crossword experience. The launch
of MidGrid is a natural next step in that evolution.”
This latest offering is meant to be the perfect happy medium for users' existing daily puzzle routines, with a grid that's even more themed than the full puzzle and a length that's, well, right in the middle, meaning it's a bit of a tougher solve without the heft and time commitment of the full size. "It gives players another way to puzzle, sitting between the quick, approachable experience of Quick Cross and the deeper challenge of our Daily Crossword," Purtle says. Everyone can play the puzzles for free, but subscribers get full access to the archive.
Those aren't the only changes for PLAY's crossword lovers. With the launch of the MidGrid puzzle, there's now a dedicated one-stop shop Crossword page on USA TODAY PLAY's digital entertainment hub, which Purtle calls "a clear destination" where users can always find the puzzle that "best fits how they want to play." Puzzlers can easily progress through all three or simply choose the one that matches their crosswording vibes of the day.
Today's inaugural MidGrid theme "I'm Here All Week" pairs nicely with the Crossword's "That's Silly" send-up. It's time to get silly – and get puzzling.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY PLAY adds MidGrid puzzle to daily crossword lineup
