New York Times slammed for publishing crossword resembling swastika before Hanukkah

The New York Times is under fire after publishing a crossword resembling the shape of a swastika the same day as the start of Hanukkah.

Hundreds of readers criticized the Sunday crossword titled "Some Theme's Missing," which was published before Jews across the world started the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah that evening. 

"The New York Times has had a hard time telling the truth about Israel and Jews – this week they published a crossword in the shape of a swastika," said Brooke Goldstein, whose organization End Jew Hatred responded by projecting its logo onto the Times building.

"What the hell, @nytimes?" Democratic strategist Keith Edwards tweeted.

Puzzle maker Ryan McCarty said Saturday before the controversy erupted that the puzzle is in a "fun whirlpool shape."

"Disgusting! Only the New York Times would get Chanukah going with this in the crossword puzzle," tweeted Donald Trump Jr., son of former President Donald Trump. "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."

Jewish writer Magen Yehudi noted how the Times has written several articles attacking Jewish religious schools, known as yeshivot.

"If you think it’s outrageous that the New York Times decided a swastika was a great idea for their crossword puzzle on the first day of Hanukkah, maybe you should remember that the next time you read their reports about Haredi yeshivot & ponder whether there might be bias there," he wrote.