Bonus Gameplay: Can a Great American Songwriter Master the Mini Crossword?
Find out with a series of special Minis.
Gameplay
May 4, 2026
A photo illustration of Jay-Z, Stephin Merritt, Carole King and Diane Warren.
Photographs by Stefan Ruiz, photo illustration by John Atashian/Getty Images

Can a Great American Songwriter Master the Mini Crossword?

Last month, our colleagues at The New York Times Magazine published an epic list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, including a retrospective of their work and interviews with other musicians on their impact. The thorough line, of course, is each songwriter’s ability to tell a story through evocative lyrics, wordplay and line delivery. We thought it wasn’t so different from what our crossword constructors do every day, only in a grid instead of in song.

Luckily, four of the songwriters on the list were up for testing our theory. Monday through Thursday this week, we’ll release a mini crossword made by one of the greatest living American songwriters. Save this page and check back each day for new, free, bonus minis.

First up: Carole King.

Solve her Puzzle.

A collage of two portraits with Taylor Swift on the left and Jay-Z on the right.

Stefan Ruiz for The New York Times

The 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters

More than 250 music insiders and six New York Times critics weighed in on who defines the new American songbook. Here are the artists they chose.

A photo illustration of Jay-Z, Stephin Merritt, Carole King and Diane Warren.

Photographs by Stefan Ruiz, photo illustration by John Atashian/Getty Images

Can a Great American Songwriter Master the Mini Crossword?

Yes. In fact, four of them can.

By New York Times Games

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