At New York Times Games HQ, we’ve been brainstorming how we can use our existing tools to bring you something new. Our brilliant puzzle editors have long hoped to shake up the day-to-day and bring you an extra challenge. What they landed on was a new kind of puzzle that incorporates several of our games. Sam Ezersky, the editor of Spelling Bee, calls it a “crossover event.” He worked with puzzle editor Joel Fagliano, who came up with the idea, to devise a metapuzzle. Before you jump in and solve it, we’re bringing you a bit of behind-the-scenes intel from our team. It all started when Joel made a Mini, the same one you’ll be solving today. “Joel had made the Mini just because,” Sam said, “and then we realized it could be a part of something bigger. Maybe this was our big moment to finally have our little Avengers crossover.” Starting today, you can enter our new contest called Letters to the Editors. Here’s how it works: Connections, the Mini, Spelling Bee, Wordle and Strands each have a highlighted letter. Unscramble the letters to reveal a secret code word. The 10 lucky winners will be selected at random to receive a $100 gift card to The New York Times Store. Read the rules and submit your entry here. Sam hopes that this challenge breaks you out of your daily routine. It should have something for everyone, he said. The editors devised this challenge, in part, to showcase the intention, fun and wit behind our games. We specialize in games that are human-made. We hope the extra touch of whimsy will brighten your day and remind you of the personalities behind your screens. “I love the idea of continuing to expose different players to different games,” he said. “Maybe you’re just a daily Wordle solver, and you’re normally scared off by Connections. Maybe you are a crossword person who normally doesn’t tackle the Wordle and just dips a toe into Spelling Bee.” This contest will give you the chance to dip your toe into games you might not have considered, and to maybe even find a new favorite. Happy solving! Check out our latest video to learn more about Letters to the Editors.
Solve Today’s Capture
Column of the WeekThis week, Nikita Richardson, who edits the “Where to Eat” newsletter, wrote: “Neville Fogarty managed to tear himself away from his full-time job as a mathematics professor to give us a breezy puzzle to kick off the week. Today’s crossword handsomely rewarded me for my obsession with pop culture and taught me some very interesting facts from 1978 about a certain Olympic gold medalist who defeated Muhammad Ali and a certain humorist and columnist who was at the height of her powers.” Solve Mr. Fogarty’s puzzle.
How are we doing? We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to crosswordeditors@nytimes.com. Thanks for playing! Subscribe to New York Times Games.
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