Five-letter words, four groups, and the ever-beloved spelling bee are just some of the addictive and captivating games crafted by the NYT. While it seems unconventional for a big newspaper group such as the NYT to delve into creating daily brain teasers for the public, it is precisely this strategic shift that has garnered a fresh new audience and has built a dedicated community of Wordle lovers and Connections enthusiasts. According to Axios, “By the numbers: The NYT Games app was downloaded 10 million times last year, the company tells Axios.” It is evident that what started as a simple concept of guessing words has turned into the expanding global game empire it is today. Arguably the most mainstream games by the NYT are Wordle and Connections. Wordle is a daily word game where players have six chances to guess a secret five-letter word. Connections on the other hand gives players four chances to group twelve words into groups of four related to each other in some way. As someone who has been endlessly playing Wordle and Connections for the past few weeks to understand the hype around it, it has prompted me to wonder and uncover how the NYT as a company has played into society’s need for escapism and the impact it has had not only on the newspaper as a whole but how it has changed and evolved the meaning of engagement and community. 

One aspect I first sought to uncover about the NYT Games is how it was created to uplift attention to their newspaper. Venture Beat says it best: “The world’s most respected newspaper seems like a funny company to be in the games business, but keeping readers engaged and happy on the New York Times website is important, and nothing is more engaging than games.” It is a genius strategy but one that also speaks to what the NYT aims to achieve in terms of making these games. There is no doubt that Wordle and Connections are addictive, what is even more interesting is how the NYT fuels that addiction. Currently, the NYT is a subscription-based news site, but the NYT Games are not. You can search for Wordle or Connections online and play for free every day. However, to keep your daily streak it asks you to create a free account. This is one tactic that the NYT is using to draw in new subscribers to their news site. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Times Chief Product Officer Alex Hardimann talks about how “a lot of people are buying the bundle through our Games product, that is a pretty big shift in terms of where we were a year and a half ago, two years ago. And that is what is so powerful about games as a funnel.” When so many people are drawn to games such as Wordle on a daily basis this introduces a vast new group of potential Times subscribers which shows how integral Wordle and Connections are when it comes to the NYT as a whole. 

 Despite being deeply integrated into the marketing and profitability of the newspaper itself the NYT games in recent years have stood out on their own merit in terms of popularity and in the mobile game market. In an interview by Axios with Jonathan Knight, the head of the NYT Games department, he shares how “our vision is to be the premier subscription destination for digital puzzles. Between the lines: What differentiates the Times’ games from myriad other mobile games, is that we do not try to keep you playing for as long as possible to boost ad revenue we want to fit into your life, and I think that is resonating with people.” This is something that students of IHS can relate to and why they enjoy playing NYT games. Senior Cassidy Moore says, “I feel like it is not mindless. I have to think about it and put some thought into it so that it makes me feel better than playing something like Candy Crush.” Similarly, what I enjoy about games like Wordle is that it is easy for me to find time to do it every day. Whether it is between classes or at lunch I know it is something that will get me to use my brain but also not take up too much of my time. This is also a part of the psychology that comes with playing NYT games. In an interview with CNBC, clinical psychologist Kelli Dunlap comments how, “another reason Wordle has surged in popularity in the U.S. is that our culture emphasizes productivity. When we are not productive, we feel guilty. However, Wordle offers a ‘bite-sized amount of fun’, and we do not have to feel guilty about playing it because the game typically does not take too long.”

An aspect that many find appealing about the NYT games is how they transcend generations and require a lot of brain power and outside thinking. Sometimes strategies can help solve these puzzles. Junior Sohum Malhorta says, “For Wordle, my starting word is ‘pause’ and then I usually see what vowels I get and then what consonants I get then just kind of form the word based on that. Sometimes I have to use filler words or pick random words to get rid of letters.” Even teachers enjoy playing NYT games in their free time. Math teacher Madeline Charron adds, “With Wordle, I have the same three words that I try every single time and it is because most of the letters get eliminated when you do them. It is ‘flame,’ ‘drink,’ and ‘ghost’ and then once all the letters are eliminated it is super easy to to get the word on the fourth try.” Especially with Wordle, strategies are necessary to reach the answer. In a way this is something that is inherently special about NYT games and how they can make people think about what they are doing. This is beneficial in many ways as people are not only playing an enjoyable game but one that strives to challenge their minds and increase various skills from vocabulary to problem-solving. 

From social media influencers who dedicate their account to playing NYT games, to even celebrities, these games are a testament to the continuous growth and legacy of newspaper games. The NYT who started their games line up with just a simple crossword has continued to evolve and created a new generation of digital game lovers around the world. Perhaps the most successful part about the NYT games is that they do not focus on advertising the games but let the games speak for themselves. This has allowed the community of NYT game lovers to spread the word and has created the immense popularity that it holds today. Sophomore Aden Rezin, who enjoys integrating NYT games into his daily routine, shares how he first discovered Wordle and Connections through his friends who also play religiously. It is clear that the NYT games are far from being done and have a lot more in store. Just recently, they launched a new beta game called Strands which is their take on the classic word search but with a twist. In a way, this is also a strategic move on the part of the Times who are allowing the public to decide whether a game should stay or not based on how much people enjoy playing. 

Overall, I am excited to see what is next for the NYT games and how they will continue to nurture and grow their audience and games. As evident from the number of people, influencers and regulars alike have grown to love these games as part of their day-to-day routine it will be interesting to see what they come up with next, and I know until then we all will be waiting for more. So what is really up with Wordle? A lot and they are just getting started.