Although most of us no longer open up newspapers, New York Times games have remained a part of much of society’s ritual.

“I look forward to the New York Times games every morning”, said sophomore Mia Malhotra.

The New York Times has a rich history of providing intellectual entertainment through its games, beginning with the introduction of its crossword puzzle in 1942. The New York Times first brought their games online in 1996, starting with their iconic crossword puzzle. However, in 2014, NYT significantly invested in its digital games division, hiring dedicated staff, and launching new games like the daily mini crossword. The acquisition of popular games like Spelling Bee and Wordle in subsequent years helped to cement its position as a leader in digital puzzles and games.

Created by Josh Wardle, Wordle quickly gained a massive following. The game’s viral success was so significant that The New York Times acquired it in January 2022, adding it to its growing portfolio of beloved games. A new word challenge was released daily, captivating the internet. The game rapidly received success and the spotlight.

Not only are NYT games fun, but they are also a way to foster connections. Many people find joy in playing these games with friends and sharing their results with others. With Wordle for example, players eagerly await each day’s new word, and then share their scores and strategies with friends and on social media. The game Connections has had a similar effect.

“Every day in class, my friends and I send each other our stats of how many tries it would take us to complete the Wordle or the Connections, all competing to do better than the day before, and complaining when the words are unheard of or too hard,” said sophomore Lea Eshaghoff.

This social element has transformed NYT games from being ‘just puzzles’ into something so much more.

The New York Times currently offers a diverse collection of games, including The Crossword, The Mini Crossword, Spelling Bee, Wordle, Sudoku, KenKen, Vertex, Tiles, Letter Boxed, Connections, and Set. They are constantly adding new games and making improvements to enhance the experience of players. Each new game is thoughtfully designed to test different skills, ranging from vocabulary and spelling to logic and pattern recognition.

Just this March, Strands was introduced to the website. “Strands” is a word puzzle game where players are presented with a grid of letters and must locate words that connect adjacent letters to form threads. The goal is to find as many words as possible within a set time limit or until all possible words have been discovered.

In addition to The New York Times’ official games, there are many platforms inspired by their puzzles. One example is the trend of creating personalized versions of NYT-style games, such as crafting your own Connections puzzles.

Senior Tal Gavriel said, “My friends and I send each other our own connections and play them almost every day”.

Additionally, there are many variations of Wordle to play online, like Globle and Heardle. Globle is a geography-based game similar to Wordle, while Heardle puts a musical spin-based twist on Wordle.

There is something for everyone, whether you prefer quick daily challenges like Connections or more intricate puzzles like Vertex and Letter Boxed. I wonder what New York Times trend will be next!