NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword icon
NYT Games: Comprehensive Review of The New York Times Puzzle Platform

by The New York Times Company

4.8
IOSGames
The NYT Games app delivers premium daily puzzles including Wordle, Crosswords, and new domino-based Pips. Designed for puzzle enthusiasts seeking curated mental challenges with progressive difficulty scaling and professional editorial quality.

Detailed Review

The New York Times Games app consolidates the publication's renowned puzzle portfolio into a unified mobile experience, positioning itself as a premium destination for daily mental exercise. The app leverages The New York Times' decades of puzzle-making expertise, offering both classic favorites and new innovations like the domino-placement game Pips, which joins the roster with three daily difficulty tiers. Core functionality centers around daily refreshed content across multiple puzzle types. The signature Crossword follows the traditional weekly difficulty progression from simpler Monday puzzles to challenging Saturday editions. Wordle appears in its official incarnation with the familiar six-attempt word-guessing mechanics. The recently added Pips game introduces spatial reasoning challenges through domino placement puzzles. All games maintain synchronization across devices through NYT account integration, though full access requires a subscription beyond the free download. The interface employs clean, minimalist design with intuitive navigation between puzzle types. Users can track completion streaks and statistics, creating persistent engagement loops. Real-world usage patterns show strongest adoption during morning routines or short breaks, with many users incorporating multiple puzzles into daily rituals. The design prioritizes readability with adjustable text sizes and contrast options, though some interface inconsistencies emerge between puzzle types. User feedback consistently praises the quality and variety of puzzles, with reviewer TigerSnake02 noting on August 1, 2025: 'These puzzles are such high quality and super fun.' However, specific limitations are noted, including Dpoll33's August 2, 2025 observation about missing puzzle titles on iPad versions that appear on web platforms. The monetization model receives positive remarks for its non-intrusive advertising approach, though the subscription requirement for full access remains a consideration. The app excels in delivering professionally curated content with exceptional editorial standards, though platform-specific interface inconsistencies and the subscription barrier represent limitations. Ideal for dedicated puzzle solvers seeking daily mental stimulation through varied challenge types, with particular strength for users who value tradition-tested puzzle design over casual gaming experiences.

Key Features

  • Daily updated Crossword puzzles with progressive weekly difficulty scaling from accessible Monday to challenging Saturday editions
  • Official Wordle integration maintaining the original word-guessing mechanics with streak tracking and social sharing capabilities
  • New Pips domino-placement puzzles offering three daily difficulty tiers for spatial reasoning challenges
  • Cross-platform synchronization through NYT account system enabling puzzle progress maintenance across devices
  • Minimalist interface design with focus on readability and distraction-free puzzle solving experience
  • Comprehensive statistics tracking including completion streaks, solve times, and puzzle performance analytics

Why Users Love It

Premium puzzle curation quality
Minimal intrusive advertising

Perfect for: Puzzle enthusiasts seeking daily mental challenges with professional curation

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 6

Ranking History

Track NYT Games: Wordle & Crossword's performance in Games over the last 30 days

Top 5
Top 10
Top 15
Below 15

Current Rank

#9

+18 from last week

Best Rank

#6

All-time high

Average Rank

#19

30-day average

User Reviews

namffoG drahicR
Nov 4, 2025

My advice: Focus on your favorites. Mine are Wordle, Mini, and Spelling Bee, in that order. When I go to bed w/o finishing the Wordle 2-3 days in a row, my family knows I’ve gone sideways in my head. Focus My advice: Focus on your favorites. Mine are Wordle, Mini, and Spelling Bee, in that order. When I go to bed w/o finishing the Wordle 2-3 days in a row, my family knows I’ve gone sideways in my head.

SandyFriedman
Oct 27, 2025

the absolute best app ever, i do the big Crossword every day and have a 500+ day streak, but I would love if the leaderboard with friends was also for the big Crossword puzzle, not just the Mini. I know you have been updating and adding different games to the leaderboard, so please make it the Crossword next! It is the hallmark of this app so I’d love to be able to compare times with friends and show off how much better I am add a crossword leaderboard! the absolute best app ever, i do the big Crossword every day and have a 500+ day streak, but I would love if the leaderboard with friends was also for the big Crossword puzzle, not just the Mini. I know you have been updating and adding different games to the leaderboard, so please make it the Crossword next! It is the hallmark of this app so I’d love to be able to compare times with friends and show off how much better I am

A5team
Oct 30, 2025

Can’t afford the subscription but love the free games every morning with my coffee. One thought I had was to maybe add the definitions on some of the words to revamp. I always get the word but sometimes can’t remember exactly what they meant. Maybe I’m just dumb but it would be a nice touch Great little brain teasers Can’t afford the subscription but love the free games every morning with my coffee.One thought I had was to maybe add the definitions on some of the words to revamp. I always get the word but sometimes can’t remember exactly what they meant. Maybe I’m just dumb but it would be a nice touch

jiraffe
Oct 31, 2025

So many fun and challenging puzzles! Excellent Content, Very Good App So many fun and challenging puzzles!

Ny Tornadoes
Nov 1, 2025

I am a puzzle game player from wayback, and I highly recommend this app for anyone interested in staying mentally sharp! Best method of keeping mentally healthy! I am a puzzle game player from wayback, and I highly recommend this app for anyone interested in staying mentally sharp!

App Details

Developer

The New York Times Company

Platform

ios

Rating

4.8

Last Updated

11/6/2025