Subtle Spell states:
When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 sorcery points to cast it
without any somatic or verbal components
Time Stop only has (V) Components, and The Components on page 203 of the PHB state
If you can't provide one or more of a spell's components, you are
unable to cast the spell.
I maybe overthinking this but I wanted to know which one is correct? Subtle < Components or Subtle > Components? If there is a Crawford answer I would like to know as well.
Best Answer
The rule on spellcasting does not say that you need a component, but:
So technically there could be a spell that does not list any components. Subtle spell overwrites even the above rule, which it can do as a class ability is more specific than a base rule (specific beats general, PHB 7).
Another way to put this: in the description of subtle spell "without any somatic or verbal components" should be read as "without providing any somatic or verbal components". It is clearly meant as a way circumvent the normal rules of casting. What you propose would limit casting on the other hand, which clashes with this being a class ability.