The NY Times crossword puzzle is adopting technology to offer readers an augmented version of their crossword puzzle. No longer readers have to buy the paper edition to solve the puzzles. All they have to do is download and open Instagram to solve the crossword puzzle via AR.

The AR version of the NY Times crossword puzzle is different in looks from the traditional one. NY Times used its Instagram account to showcase the augmented reality effect, allowing readers to play the puzzle in their Story because of AR.

The effect for its last crossword, called Mini Crosswords 12/22, allows users to view the crossword puzzle grid in space, and above the grid is a cloud of fragmented letters to be put together. 

“The crossword has shattered into pieces! Find the words amongst the shards by shifting your perspective.” The game’s tagline.

To play the puzzle, users have to move the phone’s camera in space to identify the right angle to find the letters which make up the missing crossword puzzle answers.

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