by Brianna Amenta

Have you ever been bored while also wanting to keep busy in a brain-nourishing way? Then the New York Times has several games for you. 

While these games have been around for a while, they only recently began generating buzz amongst teenagers. Whether you want a quick, easy word game or a harder thought-inducing mini game, the Times has something for everyone. 

My personal favorite game would have to be Connections:

https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections

This game challenges your brain, in my opinion, far more than the others and you’re never sure if you will be able to guess all four categories correctly. Playing and sharing your results with your friends afterwards is also fun and you can even turn it into a competition with friends.

My second favorite game, controversially, is their new game Strands:

https://www.nytimes.com/games/strands

This game, coming in at second most-difficult behind Connections, is extremely fun (and difficult) as you try to find seven words in a word search. You get hints, which I think the game would be impossible to win without. You are given a broad category and have to find words intertwined in what looks like a ginormous board of misplaced letters. It may take you a while to finish, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Honorable Mentions: Wordle and Spelling Bee