DailyPlay Crossword Mini, DailyPlay Crossword Midi, and DailyPlay Crossword Maxi are now listed in the DLE Directory. None of the three requires a sign-in. The useful question is how much grid you want for the day: ten interlocking words, a 9×9 with about twenty clues, or a 13×13 that takes more time.
Mini is ten clues on a 5×5
DailyPlay Crossword Mini is the short one. Five across, five down, and every letter belongs to both directions, so a single wrong fill jams two answers at once. You tap a cell, type a letter, and tap again to switch from across to down. Black squares are walls. Three hints and undo sit on the board.
The timer is the extra pressure. Mini is built to finish quickly, which makes it the one you reach for when you want a crossword without committing to a full newspaper grid. It is also the one where clue reading matters more than stamina: there is not much board to hide in.
Choose Mini if you want a round that can end in a few minutes. It is the smallest of these three, and the one that rewards scanning all ten clues before you type.
Midi is a 9×9 with room to misdirect
DailyPlay Crossword Midi steps up to nine squares on a side and about twenty clues. Longer answers weave through shorter ones, which is the main difference from Mini: a seven-letter fill can open a whole corner, and the cluing has more space for wordplay. The same tap-to-type, toggle-direction, hint, and undo tools sit on the board. The timer still runs.
Midi is the in-between size. It is not a newspaper crossword, but it is no longer a ten-clue dash either. Skip a stubborn clue, come back when a crossing letter is in, and the grid tends to loosen. That loop is why Midi takes longer than Mini even when the rules look identical.
Choose Midi if Mini feels over before you have settled in, and you want a few longer answers without taking on a 13×13. It is the size that still fits a break, with enough crossings to think in sections rather than in single words.
Maxi is 13×13 and meant to last
DailyPlay Crossword Maxi is the large daily. Thirteen squares on a side, more than thirty clues, and answers that can stretch nine letters across the board. Short fills still matter; they are the glue between the long entries. Hints are more useful here if you spend them on a long answer rather than a three-letter word. Undo and the timer are the same tools as Mini and Midi, stretched over a bigger job.
Maxi is the one that asks you to work in clusters. One corner, then another, rather than chasing clues in order. It is also the one where a nine-letter across can unlock a wall of down answers in a single fill. That is editorial judgment from the size, not a measured claim about difficulty.
Choose Maxi if you have time and you like a crossword that still has a finish line, but not a tiny one. It is the longest of these three, and the one that feels closest to a traditional daily grid.
Which crossword should you try first?
Start with Mini if you only have a few minutes and you want ten clues you can see at once. Start with Midi if you want longer answers and a little misdirection without a full 13×13. Start with Maxi if you want the large grid, and you are willing to sit with a timer that is allowed to run.
All three reset at midnight with the same puzzle for everyone. They are not WordSlip, which is DailyPlay’s hex-grid word path, not a crossword. Past days in the calendar are behind DailyPlay+; today is free in the browser.
FAQ
Are Mini, Midi, and Maxi updated daily?
Yes. Each size gets a new shared grid at midnight. Everyone plays the same Mini, the same Midi, and the same Maxi that day.
Do these crosswords require an account?
No. Today plays without signing in. Sign-in is optional if you want progress on another device. Streaks and stats can stay on the device you are using.
What is the difference between Mini, Midi, and Maxi?
Mini is 5×5 with ten clues. Midi is 9×9 with about twenty. Maxi is 13×13 with more than thirty, including longer answers. The typing, timer, hints, and undo are the same idea at three sizes.
Can I play older puzzles for free?
Today is free on each size. The archive of previous days requires DailyPlay+.
Conclusion
If you want ten clues and a short timer, start with Mini. If you want a 9×9 with longer fills, start with Midi. If you want a 13×13 that will take a proper sitting, start with Maxi. The next day will change the grids. It will not change which size you actually have time for.