If you’re anything like me and my friend group, your mornings are dominated by one particular app: New York Times Games.
The newspaper is famous for its crossword, which first appeared in 1942. The app and website now boast various daily games, including Wordle, which NYT reportedly bought for a seven-figure sum.
But not all games are created equal – here’s my ranking, from least to most favourite (note the big crossword is absent as it’s pay-to-play and I’m unemployed).
Nine: Sudoku
This is very predictable for a humanities student, but I’ve just never been a sudoku person. It’s too repetitive. This classic newspaper game isn’t my cup of tea, sorry maths nerds.
Eight: Vertex
I’m not that familiar with Vertex as it is only available on the website, and I mainly use the app. It’s a fun little connect-the-dots game and while it’s very cute (I made a strawberry today!) it’s not quite at the level of most of the other puzzles. It also loses points for not being on the app.
Seven: Tiles
This matching game falls foul of similar issues to Vertex. While it is on the app, it just isn’t comparable to the word-based puzzles. It is very satisfying when you clear the board in one big combo, but ultimately it just reminds me of a sh*tty game you’d play on your phone when you have no WiFi.
Six: Wordle
Now, this one might come as a shock as I know there are still lots of die-hard Wordle fans out there. But personally, I got bored with it ages ago. I frequently lose interest and sometimes give up mid-puzzle or won’t play for days at a time.
Five: Spelling Bee
I must make it clear that I love Spelling Bee, however, the free-to-play version annoys me. It locks you out as soon as you get to the Solid ranking and you can’t view your stats which frustrates me to no end. If I had the subscription version it would be much higher on this list.
Four: Strands
You may not be familiar with Strands yet as it’s still in beta mode and not on the app. I have to thank our editor Charlotte for introducing me to this one. You connect letters on a grid around a common theme and I really like the hint function. I hope it appears on the app soon.
Three: Letterboxed
Letterboxed is underrated! As the name suggests, you need to connect all the letters in a box in as few words as possible. Go play it right now if you haven’t already.
Two: Connections
Ah, my love-hate relationship with Connections. Matching groups of four can make or break my day. When it’s good, it’s so good. The satisfaction of getting a perfect run is unmatched, but sometimes the categories send me into a blind rage.
One: The Mini
This classic is just unbeatable for me. Much smaller than a traditional crossword, the 5×5 grid can be completed in minutes (or seconds, if you’re a certain Brig secretary). The simple puzzle is one of my favourite ways to start the day and wake my brain up. Also, there is a leader board on the app you can add your friends to for an extra level of competitiveness.
Featured image credit: Beyzaa Yurtkuran via Pexels.com
Film, media and journalism student. I like writing about my inability to eat gluten.
