iOS device setup instructions 

Once you have downloaded the Games app for iOS from the Apple App Store, open the app on your iOS device and take the following steps: 

1. Navigate to the Me tab and select Create a free account if you do not have an account, or Log In if you already have an active account.
2. Enter the email address associated with your All Access, Home Delivery, or New York Times Games subscription and select Continue with email.
   1. If you subscribe through Apple, please select Continue with Apple.
3. Enter the password associated with your account and select Log in.
    

Android device setup instructions

Once you have downloaded the Games app for Android from the Google Play Store, open the app on your Android device and take the following steps:

1. Select the three horizontal lines icon in the upper left corner, and select Log in.
2. Enter the email address and password associated with your All Access, Home Delivery, or New York Times Games subscription and select Log in.

Note: When a New York Times app is removed from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or any other app store on the market, it means it is no longer supported. If the latest operating system is not available for your device, you can continue to use some older versions of the app. However, The New York Times will not be able to offer technical support for unsupported versions of the app.

Games

Players can access all Games, their Archives, and special features in the Games tab.

Note: If you are an All Access, Home Delivery, or Games Subscriber, you have access to everything Games has to offer. If you are a non-Subscriber or have a subscription that does not include Games (for example Cooking, Wirecutter, or The Athletic) you have limited access to games.

Friends

Select the Friends tab to view leaderboards for:

• The Mini
• Spelling Bee
• Wordle
• Connections

Leaderboards, which are only available in the Games app, allow you to compete against your friends by tracking daily stats - such as Mini Crossword completion time, status in Spelling Bee, number of guesses for Wordle, and number of matches in Connections.

Add up to 100 friends to your leaderboard (including yourself) by selecting Manage Friends on the bottom of the page, then Invite a friend to send the link. Friends can select the link to accept or decline the invite. Only friends you have added will appear on your leaderboard. If you want to add a new person to a full leaderboard, you will need to remove someone first. There are currently no global leaderboards.

Me

Select the Me tab to:

• Manage your Games profile, including updating your Display name and icon
• View your statistics and streaks for The Crossword, Spelling Bee, Wordle, Connections, and Strands
  • Select a game card to expand the stats and streaks associated with it. To return to the Me tab, select Back to games stats X in the top right corner.
• View your Badges

You can also access your Settings in the Me tab by selecting the gear icon in the top right corner. Your settings are where you can:

• View and manage your account information
• Log out of the app
• Set your display settings (dark mode, light mode, or auto-set)
• Manage app notifications
• Receive support

If you are experiencing technical issues with the Games app, visit Mobile App Troubleshooting in the Help Center.

Puzzle Packs are curated collections of puzzles centered around a theme. 

• Puzzle Packs are not included in a New York Times Games subscription. However, Subscribers do have access to some curated collections of Puzzle Packs (Monday, Terrific Tuesdays, Wonderful Wednesdays, etc.). 
• Both subscribers and non-subscribers can purchase Puzzle Packs directly in the Games app. 
• Purchased Packs appear in the Packs section of the Games tab.
• Puzzle Pack purchases are app-only purchases and cannot be viewed in a web browser. 
• Puzzle Packs are only accessible on the platform (Apple or Google Play) you originally purchased them from. For example, if you purchase a Puzzle Pack on an iOS device, it will not be accessible on an Android device, and vice versa.

Note: If you are a Games subscriber, you will already have access to some curated collections of Puzzle Packs (Monday, Terrific Tuesdays, Wonderful Wednesdays, etc.) in the Archive. Therefore, if you are an avid user of the Archive, keep in mind that if you decide to purchase Puzzle Packs, some of the puzzles may be ones you have already completed.

If you experience issues accessing purchased Puzzle Packs in the Games app, complete the following steps:

1. Uninstall and reinstall the Games app on your device. 
2. Log into your account.
3. Select Packs from the Games tab.
4. Select Restore Purchases.