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During its November 4–11, 2024 strike, the New York Times Tech Guild asked readers to honor a “digital picket line” by avoiding Wordle, Connections, other Times games, and NYT Cooking. The strike and boycott are over: workers returned on November 11, and the Guild later ratified its first contract on December 19, 2024. This is a look back at the campaign, not a request to stop playing now.
Why the Tech Guild asked readers to stop playing Wordle
The Times Tech Guild represents technology workers—including analysts, designers, engineers, product managers, and program managers—who build the newspaper’s websites and mobile apps. During its 2024 strike, the Guild urged readers not to use Times digital products as a way to support workers on the picket line.
That meant skipping Wordle and Connections, as well as other NYT Games and the NYT Cooking app. The request was framed as a “digital picket line”: readers could show solidarity by withholding visits and engagement from the products the workers helped build. It was a voluntary pressure campaign, not a technical block on access.
What the labor dispute was about
The NewsGuild and Tech Guild described the strike as an unfair-labor-practice strike. Their stated concerns included return-to-office policy, just-cause protections, subcontracting, and pay equity. Those were union claims about the bargaining dispute, not findings that a court or labor agency had established in the material available here.
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In a November 4, 2024 statement reported by Gizmodo, Tech Guild unit chair Kathy Zhang said the union’s members and bargaining committee had tried to avoid the strike, while remaining ready to bargain. The Times offered a different public response: spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said the company had “robust plans in place” to continue serving readers. Both statements reflect the parties’ positions at the time.
How readers could participate at the time
- Skip Times games and Cooking. The central request was to avoid NYT Games—including Wordle and Connections—and NYT Cooking while the strike was active.
- Use Guild-linked alternatives. The Guild and its supporters circulated strike-friendly versions of games and recipes, giving readers an option beyond the Times services.
- Donate to the strike fund. The NewsGuild reported that more than a quarter of a million dollars had been donated to the Tech Guild strike fund in 2024. That is a historical campaign figure, not confirmation that the fund remains open for donations.
The NewsGuild reported that the Guild’s games site received more than 500,000 page views and more than 320,000 active users in 2024. Those are figures published by the union, not independently audited measurements.
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- Wordle Experience in a Board Game – Love Wordle? Boardle brings the same addictive 5-letter word challenge to your table, no screens required. Compete in real life word-guessing duels that capture the fun of the online game in a social, face-to-face format. (This game is unaffiliated with NYT/Hasbro Wordle.)
- Head-to-Head 2-Player Word Duel – Challenge a friend or partner in a battle of wits. Boardle is a 2-player board game where each player takes turns secretly writing a 5-letter word while their partner deciphers the other’s word through strategic guesses. It’s perfect for couples’ game nights or a quick round of competitive fun with a buddy.
- Fun for Family Game Night & Parties – Bring family and friends together with this fast-paced word puzzle game. Play one-on-one or form teams for group play. Boardle spices up parties, classrooms, and family game nights by getting everyone thinking and laughing as they race to crack the code.
- Build Vocabulary & Brainpower – More than just a game, Boardle is an educational word puzzle that helps expand vocabulary and sharpen spelling skills. Great for English learners and word enthusiasts, it’s an engaging tool for teachers or parents to make learning fun. (Screen-free brain teaser!)
- Premium Quality & Complete Set – Boardle comes with a durable game board, letter tiles, color-coded clue pegs, and even a sand timer for timed rounds – everything you need for endless play. High-quality components ensure longevity, and the sleek design makes it a great gift for puzzle lovers. (Ages 14+)
How and when the strike ended
The strike began November 4, 2024, during U.S. election week, and ended November 11 after eight days. The Communications Workers of America reported that workers returned and the boycott of NYT Games and Cooking ended with them. The strike’s conclusion was distinct from the contract negotiations that followed.
What the Tech Guild won afterward
On December 11, 2024, the NewsGuild announced a tentative three-year agreement. It described just-cause protections, guaranteed wage increases of up to 8.25% over the contract plus additional discretionary compensation in base rates, on-call compensation, visa protections, and guaranteed flexible hybrid schedules. The Guild’s current timeline records ratification on December 19, 2024, with 93% voting yes.
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- Guess the Secret Word: Inspired by the most popular online word game that broke the internet, 5-Letter Wordlet is the wordle style party game families and friends can enjoy together.
- Play All Day: With 5-Letter Wordlet, the fun never ends, as players aren't limited to one word puzzle a day like the online version. Unlimited play with dry erase guessing boards and markers means unlimited fun!
- Grab and Go Game: 5-Letter Wordlet's game boards are specifically designed to pick up and hold.
- Party Game Night: Make it a party game night with 5-Letter Wordlet, the wordle based game that is great for evenings with friends and family, game nights, or date nights.
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The Times Tech Guild also records that 95% voted yes in its strike-authorization vote on September 9–10, 2024, and says it represents more than 700 members. These figures come from the Guild’s timeline; they are the organization’s reported numbers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What “break your streak” means now
It referred to a time-limited solidarity action during the November 2024 strike, not a continuing campaign. Readers who stopped playing then were responding to a live labor dispute; the Guild later reached and ratified its first contract. There is no reason to treat the original call as a current instruction to abandon Wordle or other Times products.
Quick Recap
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- PLAY WORDLE IN REAL LIFE WITH FRIENDS: Inspired by the popular digital version, Wordle: The Party Game features the same gameplay fans love, but players compete in real life to solve the Wordle
- THE WORD IS … PARTY: Swap solo play for social with this analog version of the Wordle game. Players take turns writing down a 5-letter Secret Word. The others try to guess it in the fewest tries to win
- UNLIMITED PLAY WITH DRY-ERASE BOARDS: No more waiting for a new Wordle game. Use the Wordle dry-erase boards and markers to play as many rounds as there are players. Replay again and again
- 4 WAYS TO WORDLE: Try the classic play or 3 variations. In fast mode, players race to solve the Wordle first. In timed mode, beat the clock—or receive more points. Or compete in groups with team mode
- FRIENDS & FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Break out this fun game for evenings with friends or family game nights. For ages 14 and up, it’s a great gift for adults, teens, Wordle fans, and word puzzle lovers
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