The days are long gone when New York could support twenty daily newspapers. Today, only three remain : the New York Times and tabloids the Daily News and the New York Post .

The New York Times (75¢), an American institution, prides itself on being the "paper of record" - the closest thing America has to a quality national paper. It has solid, sometimes stolid, international coverage, and places much emphasis on its news analysis. The Sunday edition ($3) is a thumping bundle of newsprint divided into a number of supplements that take days to read. The legendary crossword puzzles in Sunday's New York Times Magazine should keep you occupied all day.

Its archrivals concentrate on local news, usually screamed out in banner headlines. The Daily News (50¢) is renowned as a picture newspaper but with intelligent features and many racy headlines. The New York Post (25¢), the city's oldest newspaper, started in 1801 by Alexander Hamilton, has been in decline for many years. It is known for its sensationalism and conservative slant.

Of the weekly papers , the Village Voice (Wed, free in Manhattan, $1.25 elsewhere) is the most widely read, mainly for its comprehensive arts coverage and investigative features. Catch it early enough on Wednesday morning (or late Tues night at select locations around the city) and grab a free pass to a new movie the following week; look for the full-page ad that tells you where to wait in line. Its main competitor, the New York Press , is an edgier alternative, angrier and not afraid to offend just about everyone. Its listings are quite good.