If you are travelling, access to the day’s crosswords may not be easy to come by. A number of the daily newspapers publish their crosswords on-line (some on a subscription only basis). You can access these on the internet or, with additional applications, on some smartphones and tablets.

On line versions published by the daily newspapers

Daily Telegraph

Access to all the day’s crosswords, codewords and some of the number puzzles is available on http://www.puzzles.telegraph.co.uk. You need to subscribe to Telegraph Puzzles to download the puzzles. The site uses Adobe Flash player so unless you are using a PC or a smartphone or tablet that runs Flash, you cannot play them on-line. If you have access to a printer, you can print the crossword.

Subscribers to the Daily Telegraph iPad edition (and versions for other tablets) also have on-line access to the back page crosswords but not (at present) the Toughie.

Times

Access to the Times cryptic and concise crosswords (and some others) is available for those who have an on-line digital description to the paper – the old crossword club only subscription has been discontinued. Solving the crosswords is possible on-line.  If you have access to a printer, you can print the crossword.

Guardian

Access to all of the Guardian crosswords including the Quiptic and the Everyman (Sunday Observer) crosswords is available on-line. No subscription is required. The address is http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords. There is a good on-line blog for each crossword as well as Alan Connor’s blog entries reviewing the crosswords. Hugh Stephenson, the crossword editor, also publishes a regular blog.

On-line access via smartphones or tablets used not to work but you can now solve all of the on-line versions of the crosswords from mobile devices. If you have access to a printer, you can print the crossword.

The Guardian has published an on-line version of the paper available by an app that allows smartphones and tablets to access the crosswords if you subscribe to the premium content.

Financial Times

The Financial Times publish a print only version of the daily crossword downloadable as a PDF file. There is no means of solving on-line whether on a PC or a smartphone or tablet.

Independent

The Independent allows on-line access to the current day’s crosswords and (for those published on or after 22 July 2015), historic crosswords.  No subscription is required. The address is

http://puzzles.independent.co.uk/

Crosswords can also be printed from the website.

The Independent also publishes a digital version of the paper that includes on-line access to the crossword.

Apps for downloading crosswords to a smartphone or tablet

There are a number of apps that allow you to download crosswords to solve on a smartphone or tablet. The following list is largely confined to the iPhone / iPad.

2Across

Website: http://www.instantcocoa.com/products/2across/

This is one of the oldest iPhone apps. Its big advantage was that you could download the Guardian crosswords using this app. However, access to the Independent cryptic crossword is now the only one that works.

Crossword by Standalone Inc

Website: http://standalone.com/iphone/crosswords/

This app works both on the iPhone and the iPad. There are also versions for android and WebOS phones. It allows subscribers to Telegraph Puzzles to download the daily quick and back page and Toughie crosswords. You can also download the Independent cryptic and concise crosswords.

This app has a number of unique features. You can print a copy of the crossword you have downloaded (from the iPad version)  and there is a leader board. In addition, if you have two or more devices, it will sync progress on each crossword across those devices. Finally, it will also open crosswords published in AcrossLite format so you can download and solve the Not The Saturday Prize Puzzle, Prize Puzzle and Rookie crosswords from Big Dave’s site.

Crux Crosswords

Website: http://www.ruminationsoftware.com/crux/

At present this is the best app for the iPhone and iPad. Telegraph Puzzle subscribers can download the quick, cryptic, toughie and general knowledge crosswords. You can also access the Independent and the Globe and Mail crosswords. The Globe and Mail is a Canadian paper whose cryptic crossword is syndicated and invariably set by Roger Squires (Rufus / Dante). Sadly, this app is available only for the iPhone / iPad. Other smartphones and tablets are not supported.

A lot of attention has gone into the design of this app. One of the nice features is that the grid is displayed as though it were on paper. Answers look as though they have been written in pen. Although a small touch, it gives the app a nice feel.

Summary

	Telegraph	Times	Guardian	FT	Independent
Subscription	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
Solve on PC	YES Flash required	YES Javascript required	YES Javascript required	NO	YES
Solve on mobile device	NO Unless Flash works	NO Although crosswords open, cannot input answers	YES	NO	YES
Print crossword	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Access via apps	YES	NO	NO	NO	YES
Crossword in digital on-line edition	YES Not the Toughie	YES	YES	NO	YES