As soon as I finish my designated assignments, the first source of entertainment I seek out are the New York Times (NYT) games, a cemented habit in my schedule. The order in which I proceed is as follows: Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and then Strands (if I’m desperate). Mentally stimulating and purely entertaining, these games can keep you occupied in a silent classroom where the only sound is rustling papers and scratching pencils.

The Wordle is one of the most well-known NYT games in which you have six guesses to identify a random five-letter word. It’s a mixture of luck and knowledge that expands your vocabulary and helps your critical thinking. The game originally gained traction in December of 2021 and is now a recurring habit in daily life. Another popular game is Connections, a game in which you group four sets of four words based on a common theme. This puzzle engages you mentally, whilst also being a fun task to complete. 

Having nothing to do in a silent classroom is like being in time out. Do you sit there and stare at a wall, or do you open your Chromebook and pretend you are doing something? The correct answer is: you open the New York Times Games. It’s an excellent source of entertainment that keeps you stimulated while simultaneously making it look like you are being productive (that is, as long as you don’t complete the Mini Crossword with your sound on).

The tries it takes for you to guess the Wordle, the errors on your Connections and your time on the Mini Crossword are all different ways to compete against other students. Each of these provides an opportunity for healthy competition among your peers, and they are ways to engage more with the community around you.  

Overall, the New York Times games have cultivated a community among students, improved the quality of entertainment and benefited the strategic skills of many. So the next time you are stuck at your Chromebook with nothing to do, the NYT Games are a beneficial way to spend your time.