Laufey, Lola Tung, Luann de Lesseps

The New York Times Games app recently introduced a new feature that allows users to compare their scores with friends on a leaderboard. This feature has now been expanded to include some of NYT Games’ “most dedicated celebrity puzzlers.” However, this exclusive offer is limited to the first 100 users who add the lineup of celebs, which includes names like jazz singer Laufey, actress Lola Tung, Bravo stars Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan, and actor Chris Perfetti.

According to NYT Games, users can add these celebrity puzzlers to their leaderboards on a first-come, first-served basis starting May 8 at 10 a.m. E.T. Direct links to add the stars will be available through NYT Games’ blog and the celebrities’ Instagram Stories. The celebrities’ scores will be visible in the app until May 11.

One of the celebrity puzzlers, Laufey, shared her excitement about the new feature, mentioning how she enjoys playing games like Wordle and the Mini Crossword to stay connected with friends like Lola Tung. She sees this new leaderboard as a fun way to involve even more friends and fans in the gaming experience.

The multi-game leaderboard feature was initially launched on April 22 and has received positive feedback from users. Ian Hipschman, NYT Games senior product manager, expressed satisfaction with the engagement on the Friends tab and the excitement users have shown in sharing their scores and experiences on social media.

Creating a multi-game leaderboard presented challenges, especially with games like the Mini Crossword existing since 2014 while newer games like Connections, Wordle, and Spelling Bee were added later. The team tackled this issue creatively by designing unique illustrations for each game, such as dinosaurs for Connections and a growing plant for Wordle.

Hipschman emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent product voice across all NYT Games brands, ensuring that users can easily navigate and engage with the games. By incorporating this product voice into their digital products, social posts, and marketing efforts, the team aims to provide a cohesive and enjoyable gaming experience for players.

Overall, the addition of celebrity puzzlers to the leaderboard feature adds a new level of excitement and competition to the NYT Games app, further enhancing the gaming experience for users.