January 1, New York Times Blasted Over “Disgusting” Crossword Puzzle

The New York Times came under fire this week for publishing a crossword puzzle that resembled a swastika — on the first day of Hanukkah.

“Disgusting! Only the New York Times would get Chanukah going with this is the crossword puzzle [sic],” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted. “Imagine what they would do to someone who did this and was not ideologically aligned with them? I’ll give them the same benefit of the doubt they would give those people… EXACTLY ZERO.”

Disgusting! Only the New York Times would get Chanukah going with this is the crossword puzzle. Imagine what they would do to someone who did this and was not ideologically aligned with them? I’ll give them the same benefit of the doubt they would give those people… EXACTLY ZERO pic.twitter.com/eZHr0SQbT4

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 18, 2022

“Meanwhile, on the first night of Hanukkah the anti-Israel New York Slimes issues a crossword puzzle that looks like a swastika,” said Mark Levin, a conservative radio host. “Of course, when pointed out, they claimed it was a coincidence. What a sick and sad history.”

I find it very interesting that the vast majority of people coming to my TL or retweeting my other tweet to say that it's not a swastika all have posted very antisemitic and/or anti-Israel stuff.

It's such a crazy leap to think this was done on purpose on a Jewish holiday right? pic.twitter.com/Vc5dvYYwmy

— shevereshtus (@shevereshtus) December 18, 2022

NYT columnist Caitlin Lovinger wrote, “I love the geometry in this puzzle — so many stair steps! — and feel that it contributes to a certain evenness in the solve.”

The puzzle’s designer, Ryan McCarty, described it as a “fun whirlpool shape.”

I know that the @nytimes crossword wasn’t intentionally laid out as a swastika so I guess the sin here is bad editing. How did this get approved without somebody noticing? pic.twitter.com/T8bCpID6TJ

— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) December 18, 2022

Despite many social media users across the political spectrum comparing it to a hate symbol, the NYT has defended the design.

“This is a common crossword design: Many open grids in crosswords have a similar spiral pattern because of the rules around rotational symmetry and black squares,” the outlet told The Jewish Chronicle.

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Sources: Fox News | The New York Times | The Jewish Chronicle