> At a Glance
> – 11.2B puzzles solved across NYT Games in 2025.
> – Wordle’s “BONGO” snapped 36,337 streaks on May 14.
> – Connections’ toughest puzzle appeared on April 1, and the most shared puzzle hit 3 million shares on April 22.
> – Why it matters: Record engagement shows how daily games keep millions of readers hooked.
NYT Games reached a new milestone this year, with over 11.2 billion puzzles solved across its lineup. Wordle led the charge with 4.2 billion solves, while Connections followed with 1.6 billion.
The story originally appeared on News Of Fort Worth.
Wordle’s Record-Breaking Year
Wordle’s 2025 statistics reveal a staggering 4.2 billion solves, driven in part by the infamous word “BONGO.” On May 14, it became the biggest streak buster, ending 36,337 consecutive streaks.
Zoe Bell said:
> “Anytime you have double letters, it’s a little bit harder… And, if it’s double letters, and it’s a vowel, I think it’s even harder. And then it’s an ‘O,’ which is a weird vowel. And they were split up. They weren’t in the middle, so it just made it really hard.”
- Double letters, especially double vowels, raise difficulty.
- “BONGO” features two O’s split apart, increasing challenge.
- The word broke the longest streaks seen this year.
Connections Highlights
Connections saw 1.6 billion solves in 2025, with its toughest puzzle dropping on April 1 as part of an April Fools’ tradition. The most shared puzzle, released April 22, received 3 million shares.
| Puzzle | Solves (2025) |
|---|---|
| Connections | 1.6 billion |
| Strands | 1.5 billion |
| Mini Crossword | 1.4 billion |
| Spelling Bee | 667 million |
| Pips | 612 million |
- April 1 puzzle featured all symbols, testing pattern recognition.
- April 22 puzzle set a new sharing record.
Player Strategies and Insights
Zoe Bell highlighted that Wordle players average 46 score shares per second. Her strategy is to start each day with a fresh word, avoiding overused choices like “ADIEU.” The NYT’s analysis tool, Robot, recommends “TROPE” or “TRACE” as stronger starters.
Zoe Bell added:
> “We can have a great first word and eliminate a bunch of possible options. And then if you just screw it up and guess duplicate letters later on, you’ve ruined your chances. We’ve done an analysis on this – the combination of your first word and responsive second word to what you learned in the first word.”
- Start with a varied word each day.
- Use Robot’s suggestions for optimal first words.
- Pay close attention to the second guess to avoid duplicates.
New Puzzle Launch: Crossplay
Crossplay, a two-player board word game, will launch on Jan. 21. It lets players build off each other’s moves, offering a fresh competitive twist. Pre-registration is available at newyorktimes.com/crossplay.
- Two-player format encourages collaboration and rivalry.
- Builds on familiar board-game mechanics.
- Adds a new layer of strategy to NYT’s puzzle library.
Key Takeaways
- NYT Games hit a record 11.2 billion solves in 2025.
- Wordle’s “BONGO” remains the toughest word, ending 36,337 streaks.
- New Crossplay puzzle launches Jan. 21, expanding the NYT puzzle lineup.
The year’s high engagement shows that daily puzzles continue to captivate millions, and the upcoming Crossplay launch promises fresh challenges for players worldwide.
