The phrase "one who gets paid to play" can refer to several types of professionals depending on the context. In general, it often means a "pro" (professional) or "pro gamer" (professional video game player), among other possibilities like "piper" or "tuner" in specific contexts

. If you are asking about who gets paid to play in relation to The New York Times (NYT), the most relevant example is crossword puzzle constructors. The NYT pays crossword puzzle creators for their puzzles, with typical rates being about $500 for Monday-Saturday puzzles and $1,500 for Sunday puzzles. For constructors who have had three or more puzzles published, the rates increase to $750 and $2,250 respectively

. So, in the context of The New York Times games and puzzles, those who get paid to "play" (create) puzzles professionally are the crossword constructors. Regular players of NYT games like the Mini Crossword, Spelling Bee, or Wordle do not get paid; instead, they usually subscribe to access the games

Summary:

• Professional crossword constructors get paid by The New York Times to create puzzles, with payments ranging from $500 to $2,250 depending on the day and experience

• The term "one who gets paid to play" can also mean "pro gamer" or "pro" in other contexts

• Regular players of NYT games pay for subscriptions but do not get paid to play