Solve the 100th Easy Mode Friday crossword!

Six extra free easy crosswords for you to solve.
Easy Mode
May 23, 2025
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Mathieu Labrecque

Looking back at 100 Easy Mode crosswords

By Christina Iverson

To celebrate this Easy Mode milestone, Christina chose six favorite puzzles she created easy clues for. We've made them free for all users until May 30. Happy solving!

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Mathieu Labrecque

6 of My Favorite Easy Mode Crossword Puzzles

The Easy Mode newsletter is celebrating 100 editions by revisiting six of its writer's favorite puzzles and making them free for a limited time.

By Christina Iverson

Today we're publishing the 100th Easy Mode newsletter and puzzle! I thought it would be nice to reflect on what I've learned over the last couple of years. When we first started this newsletter, we didn't have a very clear picture of what I would be writing about. Initially, I just wrote about whatever crossword-related topic popped into my mind, mostly inspired by the puzzle I had written clues for. When I clued an especially wide-open grid, I wrote about grid patterns with low word counts. When a puzzle had a lot of debut crossword entries, it inspired me to write about the "freshness" of a puzzle.

Eventually it became clear that I would run out of things to write about, so we started soliciting questions from readers. The question-and-answer format has been a fun one for me, and I enjoy the chance to interact with real Easy Mode solvers. Some readers have asked surprising questions that I might not have thought of myself: How do you enter a rebus into a crossword grid? (I linked to this guide by Deb Amlen.) Are there resources for new constructors? (Yes!) Does solving Connections make you a better crossword solver? (Yes, and vice versa!) What are the most common crossword entries? (ERA, AREA and ERE are the top three.)

Now that I've answered so many questions about crosswords, we've decided to open up the floor to all games and puzzles, which I've always loved. I started a games club in fifth grade, and designed my first board game well before that. I've been a lifelong enthusiast of jigsaw puzzles, logic puzzles and word games. While crosswords are the biggest part of my job, I'm eager to do research to answer questions related to games and puzzles of all kinds.

Thanks to all the dedicated readers who have made this newsletter possible!

ASK A QUESTION

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Mathieu Labrecque

What Have You Wanted to Know About Games?

Christina Iverson, a puzzle editor for The Times, wants to answer your questions.

By New York Times Games

Solve Friday's Crossword on Easy Mode!

Today's crossword grid.
Grid by Kate Hawkins/Clues by Christina Iverson

In today's Wordplay column, Elie Levine writes about the especially tricky clues of today's puzzle. For expert hints, read her column here.

Were you able to solve the Friday puzzle with Easy Mode? We want your input! Share your experience with us on X, on Threads or by email.

A Quick Cool-Down

How fast can you solve today's Mini?

Today's mini.

Get a Clue

My favorite clue from last week is 32-Down from Saturday, May 17. Think about the different definitions of "row" here!

32-Down: What might lead to a row at a party?

32-Down, nine letters.

PLAY TODAY'S GAMES

Wordle

Wordle →

Connections

Connections →

Strands

Strands →

Spelling Bee

Spelling Bee →

Crossword

Crossword →

Mini

Mini →

How are we doing?
We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to crosswordeditors@nytimes.com.

Thanks for playing! Subscribe to New York Times Games. If you were forwarded this newsletter, you can sign up to receive it regularly here.

P.S. The answer to Get a Clue is LINE DANCE.

Puzzles, brain teasers, solving tips and more, shared with love from the New York Times Games team.

For more solving tips, signup for the Gameplay newsletter.

Each week, our puzzle editors share brain teasers, puzzles and Gameplay stories they love.

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