So, you’re staring at your phone at 7:00 AM, wondering what is it this time NYT is throwing at you to make you feel like you’ve forgotten how to speak English. Honestly, we’ve all been there. Whether it’s a purple category in Connections that feels more like a fever dream than logic, or a Wordle that ends in "—IGHT" and you only have two guesses left, the New York Times Games suite has become a weirdly mandatory part of our morning ritual. It's basically the new "checking the weather." You wake up, you squint at the blue light, and you ask yourself: What is it this time?
The New York Times has pulled off something pretty wild. They’ve managed to turn a legacy newspaper into a gaming powerhouse that somehow feels both intellectual and incredibly annoying at the same time. Remember when it was just the Crossword? Now we’ve got a whole ecosystem.
The Games That Keep Us Hooked
If you’re a regular, you know the cycle. You start with the Mini Crossword because it makes you feel smart for exactly 45 seconds. Then you hit Wordle. Then, if you’re feeling brave, you dive into Connections.
But there’s always something new. As of January 2026, the NYT is rolling out Crossplay, their first real-time, two-player word game. It’s basically their answer to Scrabble, but with that specific, polished Times aesthetic. You can chat, view your weekly trends, and—of course—get competitive with your friends on a leaderboard. They’re even launching it as a standalone app on January 21st. It’s a big shift from the solo "me against the puzzle" vibe we’re used to.
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Why Pips is the New Addiction
Then there’s Pips, which dropped back in August 2025. If you haven't tried it yet, it’s basically dominoes met a math teacher and had a baby. You’re placing tiles on a grid where the pips (the little dots) have to add up to specific numbers or meet "greater than" conditions. It’s satisfying. It’s also the kind of game that makes you want to throw your phone across the room when you realize you’re one dot off from a perfect score.
What Is It This Time NYT: The Frustration Factor
Let’s be real. Part of the appeal of these games is the collective suffering. When Wordle was "CACAO" or "FOLLY," the internet collectively lost its mind. That’s the "what is it this time" energy. We search for the answer because we need to know if we’re the only ones struggling.
The Times knows this. They’ve built an entire community around the "Solve." Look at Rex Parker’s blog. Every single day, he (and thousands of commenters) dissects the daily Crossword. On January 14, 2026, the Wednesday puzzle featured a "Sunday in the Park with George" theme, celebrating Stephen Sondheim. It was rated "Hard" by most regulars, clocking in at over 14 minutes for some experienced solvers.
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That’s the beauty of it. It’s not just a puzzle; it’s a cultural touchpoint.
The Mini and the Paywall
Speaking of frustration, there’s been a lot of chatter lately about the NYT Mini Crossword. For a long time, it was the "free" gateway drug. But recently, things have changed. To get full access to the archives and sometimes even the daily Mini without a specific subscription, users are hitting walls. This has led to the current $14 settlement situation for New York subscribers who felt they were overbilled or couldn't cancel easily. If you’ve been wondering why you’re getting emails about a class action, that’s the one.
The Strategy: How to Actually Win
If you're tired of being defeated by a 5x5 grid, you need a system. Most people just wing it, which is fine if you like losing. But if you want to actually clear your board, try these:
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- Connections: Look for the "fill in the blank" category first. It’s usually the easiest to spot once you see it.
- Wordle: Stop using "ADIEU" as your first word. Statistics from the Wordle Bot show that words like "CRANE" or "SLATE" actually provide more useful data for the second guess.
- Pips: Focus on the "Equal" constraints first. They lock in your tiles and narrow down the possibilities for the "Sum" areas.
The New York Times isn't just a news organization anymore. They are a "life habit" company. Between the games, the cooking app, and the investigative journalism, they’ve found a way to occupy our brains from the moment we wake up.
Practical Steps for Your Daily Solve
- Join a Group: Whether it’s a Discord server or just a text thread with your siblings, sharing your scores (without spoilers!) makes the "What is it this time NYT" struggle feel like a team sport.
- Pre-register for Crossplay: Since it launches on January 21, 2026, you can grab it in the App Store now so it downloads automatically.
- Check the Settlement: If you lived in New York and had a subscription between 2018 and 2023, check the "NYT Subscription Refund" site before the March 3, 2026, deadline. You might be owed some lunch money.
- Try the "Downs Only" Challenge: If the Crossword is getting too easy, try solving it using only the "Down" clues. It’s a total brain-bender.
The next time you open the app and find yourself baffled by a clue about 1960s Pontiacs (GTOs, by the way) or ancient Chinese tea money, just remember: everyone else is just as confused as you are. That's half the fun. Keep your streaks alive, don't spoil the Wordle on Twitter, and get ready for whatever weird word they throw at us tomorrow. It's probably going to be another "—IGHT" word. Good luck.
Next Steps:
Go to the App Store and pre-register for Crossplay to ensure you're ready for the January 21st launch. If you're a New York resident, visit the official NYT Settlement website to see if you're eligible for the $14 refund before the March deadline.