​New York Times Games

By Margee Mahoney ’24

2024. Our civilization has never been more developed; we are integrating Artificial Intelligence into our daily lives with ever more information at our fingertips. Humans are stronger, faster, and smarter than ever before. Yet, millions, more than 28 million, according to Vanity Fair, are hopelessly ensnared in the simple pleasure (or overwhelming frustration) of the New York Times games.
 
It started with Wordle’s exponential growth in popularity, which provided pandemic-ridden citizens with a sense of normalcy, routine, and connection. “Did you get the Wordle today?” became a much-needed conversation starter for many whose social skills were inadequate after months of isolation. The addiction to the New York Times’s perfectly challenging yet doable game quickly spread to the Mini and, in 2023, Connections.
 
Similar to Wordle, the Mini is equally challenging yet doable. It’s the perfect bite-sized activity for crossword lovers, with options to tailor the difficulty to the player's liking, such as enabling auto-check. Players can race against each other, hoping to beat their personal record (mine is 23 seconds) or one of their peers. These two games provide a wonderful start to one’s morning or a perfect unwinding activity in the evening, an opportunity to challenge your mind and connect with friends.
 
Speaking of connecting, one New York Times game seems completely obvious yet incredibly confusing: Connections. The perfect storm, Connections is both incredibly satisfying and intensely infuriating. There is no in-between; you will either complete connections in less than a minute or wish to throw your phone across the room. As @apoclpsestudent on Twitter pointed out, “NYT Connections is bold enough to say, ‘If these words were different words, they would be related.’”
 
An incredibly true and illogical observation: the simple challenges of the Mini and Wordle are nothing compared to the insurmountable trial of a difficult connection group. But, sadly, it is too late for the millions of participants who look forward to the NYT games each morning or evening.
 
We are trapped in an endless cycle of challenges, satisfaction, and perhaps sometimes rage, and I look forward to it every day.