NYT Spelling Bee

SpellingELA
Written By Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

The New York Times Spelling Bee was conceived by Frank Longo at the suggestion of Will Shortz, inspired by the word game Polygon. Launched in print in 2014 as a weekly feature in The New York Times Magazine, the game transitioned to a daily digital format in 2018. Designed to engage word enthusiasts, Spelling Bee quickly became a favorite among The New York Times' suite of games, largely due to its unique format and the challenge it offers to its players​ (Wikipedia)​.

Differentiation: What Makes NYT Spelling Bee Special

The New York Times Spelling Bee stands out for its distinctive gameplay, where players form words from a set of seven unique letters arranged in a honeycomb pattern, with the central letter required in each word. This setup encourages players to think creatively and strategically about word formation. The game also integrates social elements, allowing players to compare scores and engage with a community of fellow word game enthusiasts​ (The New York Times Company)​.

How to Get Started

To begin playing the NYT Spelling Bee, subscribe to The New York Times Games. Access is available through the NYT website or its dedicated games app. The game is updated daily, providing fresh challenges regularly​ (The New York Times Company)​.

How It Works: A Guide for Homeschoolers

For homeschooling, the NYT Spelling Bee can be a flexible and engaging educational tool. Recommended usage is about 15-30 minutes per day, allowing students to explore new words and patterns at their own pace. The game is mostly independent but can be facilitated by a parent to discuss word choices and strategies, making it a versatile addition to daily learning activities​ (The New York Times Company)​.

What Educational Concepts It Teaches

  • Vocabulary expansion

  • Spelling accuracy

  • Word pattern recognition

  • Strategic thinking and planning

  • Cognitive flexibility

What’s Good About It

Users appreciate the NYT Spelling Bee for its challenging yet accessible puzzles that cater to both novice players and seasoned linguists. The game's daily updates keep the content fresh, while the social features allow for community interaction and competition, which adds a layer of excitement to the learning process​ (The New York Times Company)​.

What Could Be Improved

While highly engaging, some users find the game's difficulty spikes somewhat inconsistent, which can be either thrilling or frustrating. Additionally, the reliance on a subscription model limits access for those who might benefit from the game but are unwilling or unable to subscribe​ (The New York Times Company)​.

Any Advice from Parents on How to Get the Most Out of It

Parents recommend setting regular play times to integrate the game smoothly into educational routines. Encouraging children to 'beat the puzzle' or reach the 'Genius' level can motivate them to expand their vocabulary and improve their spelling skills in a fun, game-like setting​ (The New York Times Company)​.

Who It’s an Ideal Fit For

The NYT Spelling Bee is perfect for students who enjoy word games and have a knack for spelling and vocabulary. It suits those who thrive in self-directed learning environments where they can challenge themselves daily​ (The New York Times Company)​.

Who It’s Probably Not a Fit For

It may not suit students who prefer highly structured or guided learning activities, as the game requires players to self-motivate and explore words independently without much direct instructional support​ (The New York Times Company)​.

Grades

The NYT Spelling Bee is suitable for a broad range of ages but is best geared towards students from middle elementary through high school, roughly grades 3-12.

Cost

Access to the NYT Spelling Bee is included in a subscription to The New York Times Games, which costs approximately $40 per year​ (The New York Times Company)​.

Ways to Get It

The game can be accessed through a subscription purchased on The New York Times website, with applications available for both iOS and Android devices, providing a flexible platform for players to engage with the game across different devices​ (The New York Times Company)​.

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Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

For the last 20 years, I’ve taught over 2000 children in 3 countries (of all socio-economic backgrounds). I pioneered an English language program in a conflict region in the Middle East. I’ve worked as a bilingual public school teacher at some of the highest and lowest performing public schools and in all five boroughs of NYC. I’ve tutored 18 subjects in three languages to some of the wealthiest families in NYC, San Francisco and Paris to make up for shortcomings in private schools they were paying up to $60,000 a year to attend.

Since 2015, I’ve helped hundreds of parents start microschools (way before this was a household buzzword). I founded CottageClass, the first marketplace for microschools and learning pods that was part of the Techstars 2018 class. In 2019, I created a virtual learning program to help families through the pandemic, a free online math tutoring program (masteryhour.org), and schoolclosures.org, a hotline developed in collaboration with Twilio and 80 other partners including Khan Academy, Revolution Foods and the Crisis Text Line, that served 100,000 families impacted by school closures.

I’ve climbed trees with children in forest schools in San Francisco, and tested new digital apps with kids in seven countries.

I’ve also coached dozens of families at different stages in their homeschooling journey. Most recently, I founded Modulo with homeschooling dad, best-selling author and tech entrepreneur Eric Ries, to help families curate their children’s education, social and childcare experiences drawing from a diverse array of in-person and online resources.


During the last three years, I’ve devoted much of my time to reviewing and testing secular homeschooling curriculum and other resource. I’ve spent the last three years talking to thousands of secular homeschooling families, and poring over tens of thousands of secular curriculum reviews and testing physical curriculum and digital apps for with hundreds of students to find the highest quality, most engaging, personalized learning materials for every type of learner.

I’ve spoken about homeschooling and modular learning at multiple venues including SXSW EDU, NY Tech Meetup, and on the LiberatedEd podcast.

In 2022, Modulo was one of 8 organizations who were awarded the Bridge Grant from the Vela Education Fund to expand access to homeschooling and modular learning to under-resourced communities.

My experience in education and homeschooling has led me to believe that there is no perfect education for every child, but families have an extraordinary amount of wisdom they can apply to building the perfect education for their individual child.

My goal with Modulo is to make it possible for any family to easily build a customized education that their child will love, and that will empower the whole family to thrive, taking into account, social, emotional and academic needs.

I love to answer questions from parents and receive feedback on how we can improve Modulo, so feel free to reach out anytime! I personally answer all the questions and comments readers leave on my blogs.

In my free time, I like hiking, traveling the world, tasting ceremonial grade matcha, enjoying dark chocolate.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with highest honors, with a double degree in French Literature and American Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies.

And I love to learn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-snoyer-5042298/
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