{"id":495,"date":"2025-12-31T16:10:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T16:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/?p=495"},"modified":"2026-01-31T17:44:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T17:44:05","slug":"publishers-pimp-puzzles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/publishers-pimp-puzzles\/","title":{"rendered":"Publishers pimp  puzzles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rigorous firewall that used to separate NYTimes editorial content from the company&#8217;s game content seems to have fallen, at least if the Times&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/nytimes.com\">Bluesky account<\/a> is a valid litmus text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s the Times account promoting Strands and Connections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/strands-460x1024.png\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-496 lazyload\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267;width:453px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/strands-460x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-496\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267;width:453px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/strands-460x1024.png 460w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/strands-135x300.png 135w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/strands-689x1536.png 689w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/strands.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-794e3cfa wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/connections-460x1024.jpeg\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-497 lazyload\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/connections-460x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-497\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/connections-460x1024.jpeg 460w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/connections-135x300.jpeg 135w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/connections-689x1536.jpeg 689w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/connections.jpeg 718w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bloomberg pimps its new puzzles too<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pointed-460x1024.png\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-499 lazyload\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267;width:432px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pointed-460x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-499\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267;width:432px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pointed-460x1024.png 460w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pointed-135x300.png 135w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pointed-689x1536.png 689w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/pointed.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alphadots-460x1024.png\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-500 lazyload\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267;width:434px;height:auto\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"460\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alphadots-460x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-500\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.44922560463874267;width:434px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alphadots-460x1024.png 460w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alphadots-135x300.png 135w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alphadots-689x1536.png 689w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/alphadots.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 460px) 100vw, 460px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Some history of NYT ad campaigns promoting its games<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NYTimes.com launched its first out-of-home marketing campaign  campaign for its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytco.com\/press\/the-new-york-times-crossword-introduces-its-first-brand-campaign\">online crossword juggernaut<\/a> back in 2019. At the time, the crossword has 400,000 subscribers&#8230; today that number has reportedly grown past 10 million. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"854\" height=\"726\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/subway-crossword.png\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-464 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"854\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/subway-crossword.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/subway-crossword.png 854w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/subway-crossword-300x255.png 300w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/subway-crossword-768x653.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 854px) 100vw, 854px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2024, the paper launched a huge campaign that combined ads and experiences to celebrate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytco.com\/press\/wordle-1000th-celebrations\/\">1000th Wordle puzzle<\/a>.  The campaign included lighting up the Empire State Building in Wordle&#8217;s signature yellow and green to discounts on Uber and Spotify to giving away free donuts, bagels, and drinks at venues across the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-683x1024.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-461 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wordle-ad-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/neorsd.org\/post\/3mdqa2trlwc2r\">sewer districts<\/a> are getting in on the games! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"609\" height=\"700\" data-src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5.png\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-520 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"609\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5.png 609w, https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5-261x300.png 261w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 609px) 100vw, 609px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The rigorous firewall that used to separate NYTimes editorial content from the company&#8217;s game content seems to have fallen, at least if the Times&#8217; Bluesky account is a valid litmus text. Here&#8217;s the Times account promoting Strands and Connections. Bloomberg pimps its new puzzles too Some history of NYT ad campaigns promoting its games NYTimes.com [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-publishers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":522,"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions\/522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quizlab.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}