Through this article, WordsRated takes a look at the best and most popular online crossword puzzles. To rank these, we have identified the 10 most searched for crosswords using data from search engines alongside used data from Google Trends.
Most popular crossword puzzles
- First published in 1942, The NYT Crossword is the most famous of all US widely circulated crosswords.
- In addition to being available online, it is also available in at least 300 different printed publications and is considered to be the gold standard by which other crosswords are compared.
- In a poll, 64% of Americans felt that the NYT Crossword is the hardest to complete.
- This was followed by The Washington Post (19%) and USA Today (13%).
- 32% of Americans use computers to fill out crosswords, while between 26 – 27% use a phone or a tablet.
- Around 2 out of 3 Americans say they prefer to complete crosswords rather than playing other popular games such as Wordle and Sudoku.
- When stuck, 69% of Americans work around the clues given to fill in letters, by using a word finder or by using common letter combinations.
Relative popularity of top 5 online crosswords
Comparing the top 5 online crosswords side-by-side, we can see that the NYT Crossword has been more popular than all of its competitors for each year in the given data. What’s more, its popularity as of 2024 is larger than that of the other four crosswords combined.
Crossword | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024* | Average (2020-2024) |
NYT | 15.60 | 21.38 | 33.25 | 51.79 | 81.36 | 40.68 |
LA Times | 5.02 | 5.38 | 6.12 | 7.28 | 6.73 | 6.11 |
USA Today | 3.69 | 2.87 | 3.67 | 3.55 | 4.91 | 3.74 |
Washington Post | 2.02 | 2.33 | 3.29 | 4.11 | 4.82 | 3.31 |
WSJ | 2.40 | 3.06 | 3.04 | 2.92 | 2.91 | 2.87 |
A graph is given below to compare the most popular online crosswords:

NYT Crossword
- Many crossword fans consider this to be the gold standard for crosswords.
- It is known for being of high quality, with different themes, puns and even wordplay.
- The difficulty of each puzzle increases throughout the week, with the exception of Sunday’s puzzle which has a distinct format and is moderate in difficulty.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 15.25 | 19.00 |
2021 | 20.85 | 26.00 |
2022 | 32.58 | 41.00 |
2023 | 51.04 | 67.00 |
2024* | 79.55 | 100.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the NYT Crossword:

LA Times Crossword
- The LA Times Crossword has a reputation for its consistency and for being cleverly constructed.
- These crosswords are also designed to offer a blend between easy and challenging hints.
- Although its difficulty level varies, it is believed to be slightly more difficult than the USA Today crossword but easier than the NYT crossword.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 57.42 | 71.00 |
2021 | 61.92 | 74.00 |
2022 | 69.00 | 79.00 |
2023 | 82.04 | 100.00 |
2024* | 75.18 | 82.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the LA Times Crossword:

USA Today Crossword
- Designed with accessibility in mind, making it appealing for a large target audience.
- It will usually include references to contemporary themes and topics.
- As a general rule it is easier than the NYT crossword, featuring clear clues with less wordplay.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 60.12 | 74.00 |
2021 | 46.56 | 58.00 |
2022 | 62.35 | 89.00 |
2023 | 59.92 | 74.00 |
2024* | 82.82 | 100.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the USA Today Crossword:

Washington Post Crossword
- Known for being highly engaging with clever clues.
- A unique aspect of the Washington Post Crossword is that it can feature diverse themes, from pop culture to politics.
- However, not all puzzles share the same difficulty and puzzles vary each day.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 41.27 | 52.00 |
2021 | 46.17 | 60.00 |
2022 | 64.83 | 85.00 |
2023 | 82.02 | 95.00 |
2024* | 91.82 | 100.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the Washington Post Crossword:

WSJ Crossword
- The WSJ Crossword is often praised for having high levels of creativity and quality.
- In alignment with the content of the newspaper itself, the crossword features themes related to business and finance.
- Due to this, it can be quite a challenge for those without a familiarity of the given subject matter.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 62.62 | 86.00 |
2021 | 82.08 | 100.00 |
2022 | 81.75 | 98.00 |
2023 | 76.08 | 94.00 |
2024* | 70.91 | 80.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the WSJ Crossword:

Other popular crossword puzzles
AARP Crossword
- The AARP is aimed at an older audience to suit the demographic of the association.
- Owing to this, the clues and themes included are likely to match the topics of interest to senior adults.
- It is typically believed to be a moderately difficult crossword.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 64.33 | 76.00 |
2021 | 78.21 | 97.00 |
2022 | 78.23 | 95.00 |
2023 | 83.89 | 94.00 |
2024* | 86.91 | 100.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the AARP Crossword:

Fox Crossword
- The Fox Crossword is known to offer a variety of clue types to keep solvers on their toes.
- Light themes such as pop culture and entertainment feature heavily.
- Despite having a mix of clues, many are designed to be beginner-friendly.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 28.10 | 66.00 |
2021 | 29.48 | 86.00 |
2022 | 24.23 | 44.00 |
2023 | 54.38 | 94.00 |
2024* | 67.27 | 100.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the Fox Crossword:

New Yorker Crossword
- The New Yorker Crossword is known to include many cultural and literary references.
- As part of this, it can often feature clues and answers that are longer and/or more intricate.
- With a greater intellectual depth, it is generally believed to be one of the most challenging crosswords with a large following.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 30.23 | 72.00 |
2021 | 31.44 | 69.00 |
2022 | 40.92 | 71.00 |
2023 | 63.11 | 96.00 |
2024* | 82.55 | 100.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the New Yorker Crossword:

Newsday Crossword
- Newsday Crosswords have a reputation for being enjoyable and well-crafted.
- They often feature themes that are more creative in nature with a lot of wordplay.
- In terms of difficulty, they have been positioned alongside crosswords from The Washington Post.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 75.40 | 96.00 |
2021 | 63.10 | 93.00 |
2022 | 37.62 | 61.00 |
2023 | 32.38 | 52.00 |
2024* | 30.45 | 39.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the Newsday Crossword:

Universal Crossword
- Unlike the other puzzles listed, the Universal Crossword is specifically designed to be syndicated and appears in many publications.
- With this in mind, it is designed to appeal to a broad target audience.
- Its difficulty is believed to be similar to that of the LA Times Crossword.
Year | Average popularity | Max. popularity |
2020 | 42.87 | 100.00 |
2021 | 43.27 | 55.00 |
2022 | 41.44 | 56.00 |
2023 | 47.00 | 75.00 |
2024* | 43.82 | 61.00 |
A graph is given below to show the average popularity of the Universal Crossword:
