NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword in IOS

Word, Number and Logic Puzzles

Walkthrough, Guilds, Tips on this special game

Our Site Score

96/100

The NYT Games app is arguably the most essential daily companion for any puzzle enthusiast. As a long-time solver, I find the integration of Wordle, The Crossword, and Connections into a single, seamless hub to be a masterpiece of user experience. The app manages to maintain the prestige of the New York Times brand while making word games feel modern and accessible. Wordle is the obvious hook, but the 'Mini' Crossword is the unsung hero, providing a perfect bite-sized challenge for a morning commute.

The technical stability of the app is top-notch, with cloud syncing that ensures your streak is never lost between devices. The addition of 'Strands' and 'Spelling Bee' offers a fantastic variety of linguistic challenges that cater to different cognitive strengths. While some might find the subscription cost for the full crossword library steep, the quality of the daily content—vetted by expert editors—is vastly superior to the procedurally generated puzzles found in free alternatives. It is the gold standard of word-play apps.

Reviewed on: Fri Feb 27 2026
Dinsun Avatar

Dinsun Review

I'll admit the puzzles are well-designed—they’ve been at this for a long time. Wordle is a fine morning ritual, and the Crossword remains the gold standard. However, the app itself feels like a constant hand reaching for my wallet. For a gamer who grew up buying a product once and owning it, this subscription-first design is irritating. The UI is clean and sophisticated, but the 'daily' nature of it feels more like an obligation than a leisure activity. It's the best of its kind, but its kind is inherently limited.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

  • World-class puzzle design
  • Polished, professional UI
  • Synced progress across devices
  • Expensive subscription
  • No offline mode for most puzzles
  • Limited free content

Technical Report

Performance: Flawless performance; frequent updates to fix minor layout bugs.

Accessibility:
  • Colorblind mode for Wordle
  • Dark mode support

Audience Fit

Buy if: You are a daily puzzle enthusiast who values quality over cost.

Skip if: You want a game you can play for hours without hitting a paywall.

Similar Games:
  • Puzzledom
  • Letterpress

Reviewer Context

  • Reviewer: Dinsun, 40-year-old conservative gamer
  • Hardware: iPhone 15 Pro
  • Playtime: 100 hours
  • Status: Daily player for 6 months

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad

Version 6.40.0Mon Aug 31 2026

This version contains bonus puzzles. Try twists on our games, including Wordle in 1, Connections 3x3, Colorful Strands and more. New puzzles drop every Wednesday.

Have feedback? Email us at nytgames@nytimes.com


New York Times Games is the essential app for anyone who loves word, logic and number games. Free to download, the app offers new puzzles daily for every skill level.

App Features and Games:

NEW: PIPS

- Find the right spot for each domino.

- Play three puzzles daily: Easy, medium and hard.

THE CROSSWORD

- The classic daily New York Times puzzle you love.

- Crack clues and fill the grid with answers.

- Crosswords increase in difficulty throughout the week.

WORDLE

- The official Wordle, a word-guessing game created by Josh Wardle.

- Can you guess the 5-letter word in 6 tries or less?

- Analyze your guesses and improve your skills with Wordle Bot.

CONNECTIONS

- Group words that share a common thread.

- Train your brain and organize 16 terms into four categories using word associations and strategy.

- Analyze your guesses and see how you stack up with Connections Bot.

SPELLING BEE

- Is spelling your strong suit?

- See how many words you can create with 7 letters.

- Build more words to earn more points.

SUDOKU

- Looking for a numbers game, minus the math?

- Fill each 3x3 set of boxes with numbers 1 to 9.

- Play a new puzzle every day in easy, medium or hard mode.

STRANDS

- Try this classic word search, with a twist.

- Find hidden words and uncover the day’s theme.

THE MINI CROSSWORD

- All the fun of the Crossword, but you can solve it in seconds.

- A spin on our original word game, with simpler clues.

- Puzzles don’t increase in difficulty throughout the week.

TILES

- Unwind with a pattern-matching game.

- The key is to match elements consecutively.

- Can you keep your chain going?

LETTER BOXED

- Create words using letters around the square.

- Test your word-making skills with daily puzzles.

BADGES

- Earn badges for Spelling Bee, Wordle and Connections.

- Celebrate your streaks and wins.

STATS

- Looking for your longest solving streak?

- Wondering how many puzzles you’ve solved?

- Track your progress with stats for the Crossword, Spelling Bee, Wordle, Connections and Strands.

- Plus, monitor your average solve times.

LEADERBOARD

- Add friends and follow daily scores across Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and the Mini.

- Plus, explore your score history to see how your word game scores stack up over time.

PUZZLE ARCHIVE

- Subscribers can solve over 10,000 past puzzles from New York Times Games.

- Explore puzzle archives for Wordle, Connections, Strands, Spelling Bee, the Crossword and the Mini.

HINTS

- Find tips and strategize with fellow solvers in the forums. Just tap the light bulb while playing.

- Available for Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and Strands.

BY DOWNLOADING THE NEW YORK TIMES GAMES APP, you agree to:

• The New York Times Privacy Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/privacy-policy

• The New York Times Cookie Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/cookie-policy

• The New York Times California Privacy Notices: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/california-notice

• The New York Times Terms of Service: https://www.nytimes.com/content/help/rights/terms/terms-of-service.html

• Apple Terms of Sale: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html


Requires iOS 18.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

New York Times Games is the essential app for anyone who loves word, logic and number games. Guess the Wordle, solve the Crossword or build words in Spelling Bee. Free to download, the app offers new puzzles daily for every skill level.

App Features and Games:

NEW: THE MIDI CROSSWORD

- Crush this clever midsize word puzzle.

- Just-right size between the Mini and the Crossword.

- Enjoy approachable clues, special puzzles and a path to daily wins.

THE CROSSWORD

- The classic daily New York Times puzzle you love.

- Crack clues and fill the grid with answers.

- Crosswords increase in difficulty throughout the week.

WORDLE

- The official Wordle, a word-guessing game.

- Can you guess the 5-letter word in 6 tries or less?

- Analyze your guesses and improve your skills with Wordle Bot.

CONNECTIONS

- Group words that share a common thread.

- Organize 16 terms into four categories using word associations and strategy in this brain teaser

- Analyze your guesses and see how you stack up with Connections Bot.

SPELLING BEE

- Is spelling your strong suit?

- See how many words you can create with 7 letters.

- Build more words to earn more points.

SUDOKU

- Looking for a numbers game, minus the math?

- Fill each 3x3 set of boxes with numbers 1 to 9.

- Play a new puzzle every day in easy, medium or hard mode.

STRANDS

- Try this classic word search, with a twist.

- Find hidden words and uncover the day’s theme.

- How many words can you find?

THE MINI CROSSWORD

- All the fun of the Crossword, but you can solve it in seconds.

- A spin on our original word game, with simpler clues.

- Puzzles don’t increase in difficulty throughout the week.

PIPS

- Find the right spot for each domino.

- Leverage logic and arrange dominoes in this brain teaser.

- Play three puzzles daily: Easy, medium and hard.

TILES

- Unwind with a pattern-matching game.

- The key is to match elements consecutively.

- Can you keep your chain going?

LETTER BOXED

- Build words using letters around the square.

- Test your word-making skills with daily puzzles.

- Connect characters and see how many words you can create.

BADGES

- Earn badges for Spelling Bee, Wordle and Connections.

- Celebrate your streaks and wins.

STATS

- Looking for your longest solving streak?

- Wondering how many puzzles you’ve solved?

- Track your progress with stats for the Crossword, Spelling Bee, Wordle, Connections and Strands.

- Plus, monitor your average solve times.

LEADERBOARD

- Add friends and follow daily scores across Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and the Mini.

- Plus, explore your score history to see how your word game scores stack up over time.

PUZZLE ARCHIVE

- Subscribers can solve over 10,000 past puzzles from New York Times Games.

- Explore puzzle archives for Wordle, Connections, Strands, Spelling Bee, the Crossword and the Mini.

HINTS

- Find tips and strategize with fellow solvers in the forums. Just tap the light bulb while playing.

- Available for Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee and Strands.

BY DOWNLOADING THE NEW YORK TIMES GAMES APP, you agree to:

• The New York Times Privacy Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/privacy-policy

• The New York Times Cookie Policy: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/cookie-policy

• The New York Times California Privacy Notices: https://www.nytimes.com/privacy/california-notice

• The New York Times Terms of Service: https://www.nytimes.com/content/help/rights/terms/terms-of-service.html

• Apple Terms of Sale: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/us/terms.html


In-Game Events

MAJOR UPDATE
Introducing Bonus Puzzles
Fresh spins on Wordle, the Crossword and more.

Fresh spins on Wordle, the Crossword, Connections and more. A new set of word puzzles drops every week.

Starts: 9/2/2026Ends: 9/26/2026

Featured In

The Best of The New York Times
DEEP DIVE
The Best of The New York Times
Your all-access pass to world news and Wordle alike.
Unwind With Our Favorite Puzzlers
WHAT WE’RE PLAYING
Unwind With Our Favorite Puzzlers
Can you beat these brainteasers?

Ratings & Reviews

4.8 out of 5 with 293120 Counts
Age Rating 13+

Screenshots

NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 1NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 2NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 3NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 4NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 5NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 6NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 7NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 8NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 9NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 10NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 11NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 12NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 13NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 14NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 15NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 16NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 17NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 18NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 19NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword screenshot 20

NYT Games is the official puzzle app from The New York Times, offering a daily suite of word and logic games that have become a global phenomenon. From the viral hit Wordle to the legendary New York Times Crossword, the app provides challenges for every skill level. Test your vocabulary in Spelling Bee, find thematic links in Connections, or solve the quick and clever Mini Crossword. With personal stat tracking and a massive archive of past puzzles, NYT Games is the ultimate destination for anyone looking to sharpen their mind and join a global community of solvers.

Features

1

Access to Wordle and Connections

2

The world-renowned NYT Daily Crossword

3

The Mini Crossword for quick play

4

Spelling Bee and the Sudoku collection

Tips

Promotion Videos

Connections 91 - NYT Word Game - 10 September 2023 #connections - YouTube

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Scroll down for hints and conversation about the puzzle for Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.

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Gameplays

Q&A

Wordle and the daily Mini Crossword are free. A Games subscription is required for the full daily crossword, Spelling Bee, and the puzzle archives.

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