Players take turns adding letter tiles to a shared gameboard to create words, and must build on existing tiles on the board to create more words. 

• Players begin with seven letter tiles in their tile tray that are hidden from the other player.
• Players take turns by placing tiles onto the board to form one or more words.
• Points are earned by the rarity of the letter and where the word is placed on the board.
• Using all seven letter tiles from your tray in a single turn is called a sweep and earns you 40 bonus points.
• After playing tiles to the board, players’ tiles are replenished back to seven, or until the bag is emptied.
• Players can also swap tiles or pass, which will count as their turn.
• When the “tile bag” is empty, both players will have one final turn before the game ends.
• When the game ends, any leftover tiles in your tray are not counted against you.

The player with the most points, wins.

Note: When playing against the computer, you can choose your desired difficulty level (easy, medium, hard). To select your desired difficulty, select Start Game on the Play tab and scroll down to view the computer levels. 

Word list and dictionary

Crossplay uses the NASPA Word List (NWL 2023) for acceptable words in the game. Definitions are sourced from the Oxford English Dictionary. If NASPA includes a word but Oxford does not have a definition, we will default to the NASPA definition in the dictionary. We also exclude trademarks and proper nouns from the acceptable word list.

If you are unsure of why a word is not accepted, please refer to the NASPA FAQ page.

Computer opponents

• Games that are played against a computer are not saved across devices.
• Games played against a computer are not saved to your stats. 
• You can cancel any time when playing against a computer.

To cancel an ongoing computer game, select More in the bottom left corner of the gameboard to cancel. This will not count as a loss, as games with the computer don't count towards your stats.

Ending a game 

To end the game before it reaches completion, navigate to the More (...) menu in the bottom left, and select Cancel or Resign. The available option will depend on whether or not the first player has taken their turn.

• Cancel: If you are starting a game against another person but have not yet played the initial move, you can Cancel to end the game immediately and without penalty. This does not count as a loss.
• Resign: After the first move is taken, either player may choose to resign. Resigning counts as a loss for you (and a win for your opponent).

The player who receives a challenge also has a one-time opportunity to Accept or Decline the game.

• Accept: Accept the challenge, view the game board and see the first player’s move. Upon doing so, the game has started and you cannot end the game early without resigning.
• Decline: Decline the challenge without seeing the first move. This cancels the game immediately and without penalty.

Players must take their turn within the seven-day time limit. They can play, swap, or pass. If they do not take their turn, the game will "time out", which counts as an automatic resignation.

Crossplay is a standalone mobile app and is available to download on the Apple App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android).

Crossplay is available in the following countries:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. 

Android users in Ghana will also have access to Crossplay.

Once you have downloaded the Crossplay app, open the app on your device and continue to the login page. Enter the email address and password associated with your New York Times account and select Log in.

Note: When a New York Times app is removed from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or any other app store on the market, it means it is no longer supported. If the latest operating system is not available for your device, you can continue to use some older versions of the app. However, The New York Times will not be able to offer technical support for unsupported versions of the app. 

Play Tab

This is where you can start a new game, see whose turn it is in ongoing games, find a match, and review your suggested matches. 

To start a new game, select Start Game at the top of the Play tab. 

Your Turn:

If you’re in a game with someone, this is where you will see when it is your turn. If someone has challenged you to a game, it will also appear in Your Turn. 

Find a Match:

Matchmaking refers to the game trying to match you to real human opponents who have also opted into being matched with other players. Matching is based on a combination of your performance level, recency of being online, and other components. Only players who have opted into matchmaking will appear in the matchmaking list. Matchmaking may suggest playing with someone from your friends list, other players, or a computer opponent.

Suggested Matches:

Similar to a Find a Match, find this list of similarly skilled opponents by selecting the Start Game button on the Play tab. This list will be both friends and other players matched to your skill level and not a computer. 

You can select any player's profile icon to view their statistics to determine if they're a good challenge for you.

Friends Tab

Select the Friends tab to view your friends and start games directly with them. 

Add your friends by selecting Add Friends on the bottom of the page or the Friend icon in the top right-hand corner.  This will give you the option to send a link or QR-code to friends who will be routed to a page to accept or decline the friend request. If the friend does not have the Crossplay app downloaded, the link will navigate them to their device’s app store to download the app. 

You can also add friends by allowing Crossplay to access your email contacts list. Once you verify your email, you will be able  to send your friends an email with a link to become Games friends. This will also make you discoverable to your friends via your email. If you wish to change your discoverability, you can do that in the in-game settings. You can change which contacts Crossplay has access to in your device settings.

Your Friends:

These are friends that have the Crossplay app downloaded. You can select Start to begin a new game with them.

Not yet playing Crossplay:

These are friends you have on the NYT Games app who do not have the Crossplay app. You can select Invite next to their name to send them a link to download the app. 

Me Tab

You can find stats, as well as manage your profile picture and display name, in the Me tab. Select your profile picture to update your display name or pick a new profile picture.

Compare your wins to losses, see what your best and longest word is, and your average scores. Games with computer opponents do not affect stats.

Players can have in-game chats with other players Select the chat icon in the top right corner of the puzzle to start a chat.

• In order to start a chat with another player, you must be in an active game with another player. 
• You can turn off the ability to chat in your Settings.
• You can block, mute, remove, or report a friend/player by selecting the gear icon in the top right corner of the page, in the chat, or in the player’s profile. 
  • Mute: If you mute a player, it prevents chat conversations from that player.
  • Block: If you block a player, they will no longer be able to send match requests.

Cross Bot is a player-facing host to help players learn, improve, and find the fun in Crossplay. 

Cross Bot Game Review gives players access to strategic insights on completed (player vs. player) games. Players can use Game Review to better understand what went right or wrong in a game and, most importantly, how they can learn and grow from it. 

Game Review offers a summary of how you and your opponent played. A selection of four- to five plays, custom-chosen for the player as learning opportunities, are highlighted, and specific insights are catered to where your specific pain points are. Players can also check out any other play they are interested in.

Cross Bot is available to Subscribers with Games access (New York Times All Access, All Access Family, Games, Games Family, and Home Delivery Subscribers). Registered users have limited access.

For more information about Crossplay policies, please see the Crossplay Acceptable Use Policy.

If you are experiencing technical issues with the Crossplay app, visit Mobile App Troubleshooting in the Help Center.

If you still have questions or are encountering any issues or have feedback, you can Report a Bug in your settings by selecting the gear icon.