Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The New York Times ended Digits, its math-based puzzle game, on August 8, 2023, when it published the final daily puzzle. The Times had presented the game as a limited-time beta experiment; an independent website now offers online replay of the original puzzles, but Digits did not return to the Times’ site.
What was NYT Digits?
Digits was a target-number arithmetic puzzle that debuted in beta in April 2023. Each puzzle gave players six starting numbers and a target. Players could add, subtract, multiply, or divide the numbers, using each starting number once; the result of one calculation could be used in another. The aim was to reach the target or get as close as possible.
According to the Engaging Data archive, the beta offered five puzzles each day. Its archived scoring awarded three stars for hitting the target exactly, two for finishing within 10, and one for finishing within 25. Those scoring details are documented by the archive.
When did the New York Times stop publishing Digits?
The Times said it would stop making Digits and publish its last daily puzzle on August 8, 2023. Engaging Data dates the beta from April 10 through August 8 and records 120 original daily puzzles.
#1 Best Overall
What explanation did the Times give for ending the beta?
In a July 26, 2023 report, TechCrunch quoted a Times spokesperson describing Digits as a limited-time experiment: “We always approached our experiment with Digits as a limited time beta test. During this time, we learned a lot about how players engaged with the game and we’re grateful for their feedback.”
The contemporaneous report did not establish a specific performance problem as the reason production stopped. The spokesperson’s statement framed the beta as time-limited and cited learning from player engagement and feedback; it did not say the game was ended because it performed poorly.
What did the Times say about Digits later?
In a 2026 Associated Press report, The New York Times’ head of Games, Jonathan Knight, looked back on the game and said it had failed despite two tries. He added: “We have been cautious about math and numbers games ever since.” This was a later retrospective, not the explanation issued with the 2023 shutdown notice.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you still play NYT Digits?
Engaging Data hosts an online archive for replaying the original 120 puzzles. The archive describes the NYT version as no longer playable on the Times’ site. Its replay is an independent website’s archive, not a return or reinstatement of Digits by The New York Times.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Sources
- TechCrunch: “RIP Digits, The New York Times math game” — contemporaneous shutdown report and Times spokesperson statement.
- Engaging Data: “NY Times Digits Archive” — beta dates, puzzle count, rules, scoring, and replay archive.
- Associated Press: “New York Times debuts first 2-player game as business model evolves” — 2026 retrospective comments from Games head Jonathan Knight.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
