Gameplay: This week’s puzzle stats inside!

Plus, read about how toymakers are designing for adult collectors.

View in browser|nytimes.com June 18, 2025 By Isaac Aronow Behind the Scenes 🍵 Fun Theme: Be sure to check out today's crossword puzzle by Eli Cotham, which features a theme full of whimsy. Further Reading: Seeking tariff-proof customers, toymakers are working with artists to create exclusive, expensive toys, like $350 Barbie dolls and $8,000 Lego sets that cater to adult collectors with deep pockets. Strands Last week's hardest Strands puzzle was STRING'S ATTACHED, from Friday, June 6 — 76.38 percent of solvers were able to complete it. Last week's easiest Strands puzzle was GONE FISHING, from Thursday, June 12 — 92.01 percent of solvers were able to complete it. Strands puzzles last week — from June 6 to 12 — were a lot harder than those from the week before. Solve today's Strands puzzle. Connections Quandary Here's the hardest category from Wednesday, June 11. What connects these four things? See the answer in the P.S. Solve today's Connections puzzle. Wordle Weekly Recap Hardest word: VIXEN, from Thursday, June 12 Average guesses: 4.56, with 13.02 percent of players solving in three or fewer Easiest word: BOARD, from Monday, June 9 Average guesses: 3.89, with 37.44 percent of players solving in three or fewer The Wordle answers last week — from June 6 to 12 — were much easier than those from the week before. Solve today's Wordle. Spelling Bee Hive Overall, the Spelling Bee hives last week — from June 6 to 12 — were vastly easier than those from the week before. Of our subscribers who played last week, 42.94 percent hit Genius at least once. Last week's hardest puzzle: Monday, June 9, had the hardest pangram, with only 22.37 percent of users finding it. Monday's pangram: HABITABILITY Letter set: B A H I L T Y Solve today's Spelling Bee. PLAY TODAY'S GAMES Wordle → Connections → Strands → Spelling Bee → Crossword → Mini → Wordle → Connections → Strands → Spelling Bee → Crossword → Mini → 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. If you like this newsletter, you can tell your friends to sign up here. P.S. The answer to the Connections Quandary is that they are all ways to denote a citation. Sign up for the Easy Mode newsletter. Get an easy version of one of the hardest crossword puzzles of the week, with clues by Christina Iverson, a puzzle editor. Get it in your inbox If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Gameplay from The New York Times. To stop receiving Gameplay, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018