Times adds bonus puzzles for paid subscribers

The New York Times will release five to six bonus puzzles each Wednesday for subscribers, featuring variations on games including Wordle, Strands, Connections and Crossword.

By Middle East Affairs
September 2, 2026
A collection of colorful app icons representing various puzzle games, including grid-based games, dice, crosswords, and pattern-matching games scattered across a green background.
The New York Times offers multiple puzzle games to subscribers, including Wordle, Strands, Connections, Crossword and others. The company is expanding its offerings with five to six bonus puzzles each Wednesday for paid subscribers. (The Verge)
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The New York Times will begin offering exclusive bonus puzzles to its Games subscribers, rolling out five to six new titles each Wednesday. The puzzles will feature variations on popular Times games including Wordle, Strands, Connections and Crossword.

Each puzzle will include "a twist" designed to offer players a fresh experience while maintaining the mechanics of the original games. The availability of specific bonus puzzles may vary from week to week.

One example of the new offerings is "Wordle in 1," which condenses the game into five rounds, each containing a single clue with one possible word solution. Players must guess all five words to complete the game.