← Blog · May 15, 2026
Strands vs Connections vs Wordle: Which is hardest?
The NYT Games portfolio now has three flagship word puzzles. If you only have time for one a day, which should you play?
Quick comparison
| Wordle | Connections | Strands | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | Oct 2021 | Jun 2023 | Mar 2024 |
| Avg solve time | 3 min | 5 min | 4-7 min |
| Mechanic | Guess a 5-letter word | Group 16 words into 4 themes | Find theme words + spangram in a 48-letter grid |
| Lose condition | Run out of 6 guesses | 4 wrong groups | None (no fail state) |
| Daily streak | Yes | No (tracked, but no public streak) | No |
| Hint mechanic | Letter color feedback | None | 3 non-theme words = 1 hint |
Difficulty
It depends what you mean by "hard."
- Wordle is the easiest. Strong opening words (CRANE, AUDIO) plus letter feedback narrows the answer fast. Most experienced players win in 3-4 guesses.
- Connections is hardest in terms of lateral thinking. The purple group regularly traps players who miss a wordplay twist. No partial credit, no hints — you either see the trick or you don't.
- Strands is hardest in terms of visual scanning. With no fail state, you can't lose, but the time penalty for not seeing the spangram can be brutal. New solvers regularly spend 20+ minutes.
Which to play first?
If you have 3 minutes: Wordle. Fast, satisfying, can't fail badly.
If you have 10 minutes and like wordplay: Connections. Highest cognitive payoff per minute.
If you want to relax with no pressure: Strands. The no-fail design and hint mechanic make it the most chill of the three.
Order of magnitude
Average NYT Games player solves Wordle in ~3 minutes. Connections takes 4-6 if you don't hit a streak of wrong guesses. Strands averages 4-7, with a long tail of 15+ minute sessions when the spangram won't click.
Our take
We're biased — we run sites for both Connections and Strands. They're different enough to play both daily without burning out. Wordle alone gets repetitive after a year; the three together stay fresh.