What’s another seven-letter word for premium?
Right now, some pissed-off puzzle-solving New York Times home subscribers are probably answering that with R-I-P-O-F-F-S. In an email sent out yesterday by the Times, they let home subscribers know that their Premium Crosswords feature—formerly content that was part of a digital subscription to the paper, which comes with a home subscription—is now going to be a money-making endeavor unto its own. In other words, something else Times subscribers would have to pay for, outside of their subscription.
The regular rate for a Premium Crosswords subscription is $6.95 a month or $39.95 year. As a peace offering of sorts, current Times subscribers are being given a discount on that rate ($3.47/$19.97). What will they lose without it?
By subscribing, you will continue to enjoy online access to the daily crossword puzzle on your computer, or as a PDF, as well as more than 5,000 archival puzzles and solutions, including acrostics, cryptics and other specialty puzzles.
New York Times’ puzzlemaster Will Shortz, what hath you wrought? Are we paying for your new Maybach, homie? Full letter from the Times to subscribers, below:
Dear Home Delivery Subscriber,
This is to inform you of a change to one of the benefits associated with your home delivery subscription.
Starting July 9, Home Delivery Subscribers will no longer have free access to NYTimes.com Premium Crosswords. You can, however, continue to access Premium Crosswords by subscribing at a special low rate being offered only to Times subscribers.
Click here to save 50% on an annual or monthly subscription to Premium Crosswords for as long as you remain a Times subscriber. By subscribing, you will continue to enjoy online access to the daily crossword puzzle on your computer, or as a PDF, as well as more than 5,000 archival puzzles and solutions, including acrostics, cryptics and other specialty puzzles.
Of course, if you choose not to subscribe to Premium Crosswords, you will continue to receive free All Digital Access, which includes full access to the rest of NYTimes.com, as well as NYTimes smartphone and tablet apps. You will also still be able to enjoy free access to one Classic Puzzle each week from The New York Times archive, plus other games such as KenKen, Sudoku and Set, on NYTimes.com/crosswords.
Thank you for reading The New York Times.
Sincerely,
Customer Care
The New York Times
We can think of another seven-letter, two-word expression that could have also worked in the email’s place.
fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek
