Spelling Bee in Audio and Video
NOTE: Some items in this list also appear in the section of interviews with the Spelling Bee editor.
VIDEO Hello PuzzlersThe "Hello Puzzlers" podcast has posted an episode recorded at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in May. Among the guests was Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky (who was a crossword constructor long before he became Bee editor). The segment with Sam E, in which he discusses the Spelling Bee (esp word selection), begins at 38:00.Apr 12 2026https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMrHaTEppvg Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky has a trivia question for you!NY Times InstagramFeb 24 2026https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVKEMSZEufN/
Which Spelling Bee puzzle will make it to the top spot?NYTimes InstagramFeb 05 2026https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUYQNYgDmbU/Puzzle editors Sam Ezersky and Joel Fagliano continue their blind rankings in part two.
We asked puzzle editors Sam Ezersky and Joel Fagliano to blind rank ten Spelling Bee boards. NYTimes InstagramFeb 04 2026https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUVZ1JMlwW3/Watch them chat about their ranking strategy and which letter combinations they love. Which set of letters do you think will top the list?
Want to reach Queen Bee status?NYTimes InstagramDec 5 2025https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR4VUi7gRW9/Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky shares three tips to help you rise in the ranks. The Making of BeeatriceNew York Times Instagram, September 23, 2025https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO8kiBGEo2F/?hl=enRobert Vinluan, a lead product designer on the Games team, describes the lore behind Spelling Bee’s cartoon mascot. Happy Spelling Bee-DayNew York Times Instagram, May 9, 2025https://www.instagram.com/p/DJb4vmKOsLx/ Why do we have human games editors? [Spelling Bee Editor Sam Ezersky explains.]New York Times Instagram, September 3, 2024https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_dZxiaR_de/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Nobody’s doing it like Steve G and the Spelling Bee writers.New York Times Instagram, May 3, 2024https://www.instagram.com/mynytimes/reel/C6hGGQbRK09/We chatted with editor Sam Ezersky about the heroes of the hive mind. Editor Sam Ezersky has some choice words for Spelling Bee hint writer Steve G. 👀👀New York Times Instagram, May 3, 2023https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gjZAzu4cf/
Part of being the Spelling Bee editor means answering to the hive mind.New York Times Instagram, April 30, 2024https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6Y8AjKuUmJ/Sam Ezersky shares his most unexpected moments on the job. An evening with Sam Ezersky, the Digital Puzzles Editor for the New York Timespresented in LA by Writers’ Bloc on November 21, 2023.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLaeXF72r-A 1 hour, 8 minutes. Description of the event here: https://writersblocpresents.com/main/sam-ezersky/
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenAmong the guests: New York Times editors Tracy Bennett (Wordle) and Sam Ezersky (Spelling Bee)Episode: October 1 – available on Peacock (subscription required)
The making of the cult favorite game, “Spelling Bee” [3:45 video] [worth watching]Brut, May 22, 2022https://www.brut.media/us/entertainment/the-making-of-the-cult-favorite-game-spelling-bee--3a9b7270-9272-4861-9453-1471922c57beIt’s the puzzle game everyone is obsessed with. Brut spoke to the digital puzzle editor of The New York Times on making the internet’s nerdiest word game “Spelling Bee.”
William Jackson Harper Solves the NYT Spelling Bee [with Sam Ezersky and Deb Amlen]New York Times on YouTube, April 16, 2021https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2A9t8Ozg_sWatch crossword columnist Deb Amlen and Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky, as they solve the Spelling Bee with actor William Jackson Harper …Then, they’ll share secret places to get hints — and give you a sneak peek of an upcoming puzzle.
Let’s Play Spelling Bee [with Sam Ezersky and Deb Amlen]New York Times via Facebook, January 3, 2019https://www.facebook.com/nytimes/videos/lets-play-spelling-bee/2271234036495999/[does not require a Facebook membership or login]We’re playing a new game today! Make as many four-letter words as you can using the center letter at least once. You can repeat the other letters as often as you’d like. Wordplay columnist Deb Amlen and associate puzzles editor Sam Ezersky take on the Spelling Bee, a new puzzle from the New York Times Games team. Join us as we try to make as many words as possible, and then stay for an AMA with Sam, who edits the game.
Podcasts and Audio Hello PuzzlersThe "Hello Puzzlers" podcast has posted an episode recorded at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in May. Among the guests was Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky (who was a crossword constructor long before he became Bee editor). The segment with Sam E, in which he discusses the Spelling Bee (esp word selection), begins at 38:00.Apr 12 2026https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMrHaTEppvg The RoundtableJanuary 16 2026https://www.wamc.org/podcast/the-roundtable/2026-01-17/roundtable-panel-the-week-in-review-episode-250Casual and incidental discussion of Spelling Bee starts at 3:59; not related to the scheduled topics.
Puzzling over crosswords with the editors of NYT GamesConnecticut Public Radio: Where We Live [local arts audio magazine]August 19 2024https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/2024-08-19/puzzling-over-crosswords-with-will-shortz-and-the-editors-of-nyt-gamesIt's an hour for puzzle lovers! NPR's Puzzlemaster and The New York Times Crossword Editor Will Shortz and Everdeen Mason from The Times, talk about The Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections and more. Plus, we’re celebrating 10 years of the Mini Crossword with its creator and editor, Joel Fagliano. GUESTS: Will Shortz: NPR's Puzzlemaster and Crossword Editor for The New York Times Everdeen Mason: Editorial Director for Games for The New York Times Joel Fagliano: Digital Puzzles Editor and Creator of The Mini Crossword for The New York TimesThere's a "LISTEN" button on the linked page.
How to Improve Your Spelling BeeMay 20, 2024In this podcast we unravel the secrets to mastering the New York Times Spelling Bee! In this episode, we share expert tips on improving your game, from finding the longest words to unlocking the power of prefixes and suffixes. Plus, discover the ultimate resource for daily solutions at NYT Spelling Bee Answers blog. Tune in and elevate your wordplay skills today!https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sonia5807/episodes/How-to-improve-at-NYT-Spelling-Bee---Pro-Tips-e2jsi25
‘New York Times’ and the puzzle warsMarch 31, 2024National Public Radio, All Things Consideredhttps://www.npr.org/2024/03/31/1241923496/new-york-times-and-the-puzzle-warsThe New York Times is dominating a gaming business that many other media organizations are trying to break into. (Five-minute audio; complete transcript at the link.)
You Know What I Would Do (podcast)Episode 87, February 7, 2024Light-hearted conversation with guest Lauren Lapkus about various topics including the NYT Spelling BeeThe segment about the NYT Spelling Bee begins at 54:25, ends at 62:42https://www.ivoox.com/episode-87-with-lauren-lapkus-multiversions-boring-books-audios-mp3_rf_123904117_1.htmlThe guest, who describes herself as “very, very good” at solving the SB, is a fairly new player, with a few weeks’ experience under her belt. She and the host compare notes on solving strategies. They also discuss Wordle and Connections, especially how those puzzles compare to Spelling Bee. There is a bit of salty language. The conversation seems to have taken place on Feb 05. Also available on Spotify and other podcast sites.
“Jonathan Knight (New York Times) | The Power of Shared Experiences"The CMO Podcast, January 3, 2024https://player.fm/series/the-cmo-podcast/jonathan-knight-new-york-times-the-power-of-shared-experiencesRing in the new year with the CMO Podcast as Jim welcomes Jonathan Knight, the SVP, Head of Games for The New York Times. The Times Games include the famous New York Times Crossword Puzzle, The Mini Crossword, Wordle, Spelling Bee, Connections, and Tiles. Founded in 1851, The New York Times is one of the oldest and most respected brands in the world, with nearly 10 million subscribers. Jonathan knows a lot about building brands with high and lasting consumer engagement and loyalty. He has worked in the gaming industry for nearly 30 years, holding roles at Activision in the early days, then Electronic Arts as the senior leader on the Sims franchise. Jonathan then moved to Zynga and Warner Brothers Games before joining the New York Times Games in the fall of 2020. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about how brands can learn from the high-growth gaming category, and what leaders at large could learn from popular and lasting game brands.also here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cmo-podcast/id1460604334https://www.everand.com/podcast/696332655/Jonathan-Knight-New-York-Times-The-Power-of-Shared-Experiences
“The New York Times Spelling Bee & The Mystery of “Steve G" Can I Tell You Something (podcast) Episode 8, August 23, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6qxLZHlWycOn this week’s episode, we delve into the history of the popular New York Times mobile games, Worldle, Crosswords, and Spelling Bee. … There has been a mystery brewing in the back of minds as to the illusive [sic] identity of the (almost) critically acclaimed “Steve G”, Spelling Bee player. If you have played this game before, you will surely know of who [sic] we speak. Tune in for a sleuthing escapade in which we hunt for Steve G’s identity, in a non-creepy way.”See also discussion of this video in the Spelling Bee forum at this link: https://nyti.ms/3MUGEdZ#permid=129323483
By a LandslideA Way with Words, March 13 2023, Episode 1611https://www.waywordradio.org/by-a-landslide/The segment of interest begins at 2:00. As described in the episode summary: “Puzzling over the New York Times Spelling Bee, [a caller] played the word pipped, but was surprised that the game disallowed it. … It’s true that the word is commonly used in British English, but as Bee editor Sam Ezersky has explained, the game’s answers are selected from curated lists compiled from some dictionaries and not others, and those parameters are also part of the challenge.”
From The New York Times’ ‘Spelling Bee’ to orthography, a look at all things spellingConnecticut Public Radio, originally aired December 6, 2022https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/2023-06-26/from-the-new-york-times-spelling-bee-to-orthography-a-look-at-all-things-spellingThis hour: spelling — what it is, why it matters, and why some of us actually find it fun. There will be a test. Guests include Deb Amlen: Crossword columnist and senior staff editor of the crossword column Wordplay for The New York Times; Richard Gentry: Education consultant and the author, most recently, of the Spelling Connections series; and Peter Sokolowski: Editor at large at Merriam-Webster and a member of the Word Panel for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
The New York Times Spelling BeeWNYC, January 13, 2022 (13 minutes)https://www.wnyc.org/story/new-york-times-spelling-bee/New York Times digital puzzles editor Sam Ezersky joins us to talk about the “Spelling Bee.” We also ask callers about their feelings about the bee.
The Quest for Queen Bee.The Keith Law Show, September 11, 2021 (44 minutes)Keith is joined by Sam Ezersky, Digital Puzzles Editor for the New York Times, to discuss their shared love of word puzzles, the highly engaging and potentially addictive ‘Spelling Bee’, Sam’s path to his current role, and the ongoing challenge of determining which words make the cut for each version of the puzzle.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/sc/podcast/the-quest-for-queen-bee-w-sam-ezersky/id1499877854?i=1000541286581Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3327d6c3-f1c7-4aaf-8ea6-72a04cdcb78d/episodes/172762f4-73f1-47d4-99a0-18f0cbe86a06/the-keith-law-show-the-quest-for-%E2%80%98queen-bee%E2%80%99-w-sam-ezersky
How the Grid Kid Became King of the Online Spelling Bee: The New York Times’ Sam Ezersky breaks down how he adjudicates the Spelling Bee.Slate, August 31, 2021https://slate.com/podcasts/spectacular-vernacular/2021/08/are-you-spectacular-vernaculars-next-spelling-bee-championThis is an episode of Spectacular Vernacular, Slate’s podcast about language, where hosts Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer spoke with Sam Ezersky, digital puzzles editor for the New York Times, about the online Spelling Bee, which he oversees.; the entire audio is available within the article. The Spelling Bee segment begins at 18:26 and ends at 36:36.Complete transcript here (machine-generated, full of errors):https://slate.com/transcripts/cHBMRmgwMG9ydlg0U1Y1NE9MN0VVMDRYdXVVT1VpTi92TEF6VTBDaTNTRT0=
Insider Secrets of the Spelling Bee: The New York Times’ Sam Ezersky reveals all.Nicole Holliday and Ben ZimmerSlate, August 31, 2021https://slate.com/culture/2021/08/nyt-spelling-bee-sam-ezersky.htmlThis article is a condensed transcript of an episode of Spectacular Vernacular, Slate’s podcast about language, where hosts Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer spoke with Sam Ezersky, digital puzzles editor for the New York Times, about the online Spelling Bee, which he oversees.; the entire audio is available within the article. Within that recording, the Spelling Bee segment begins at 18:26 and ends at 36:36.Complete transcript here (machine-generated, full of errors):https://slate.com/transcripts/cHBMRmgwMG9ydlg0U1Y1NE9MN0VVMDRYdXVVT1VpTi92TEF6VTBDaTNTRT0= Secrets of the New York Times Spelling BeeCulture GabfestFeb 24, 2021https://podcasts.musixmatch.com/podcast/culture-gabfest-01hvbyrfsgsjjt60fg2gnatrx0/episode/secrets-of-the-new-york-times-spelling-bee-01hw7tj7pt6s89kk2qtcdwdxdvSegment on the New York Times’s Spelling Bee puzzle and interview its creator, 24-year-old Sam Ezersky begins at 19:50.
How Fred Learns Vocabulary with the New York Times Spelling Bee (with Fred Eyangoh)Episode 720 in the podcast series “Luke’s ENGLISH Podcast: Learn British English with Luke Thompson”https://teacherluke.co.uk/2021/05/18/720-how-fred-learns-vocabulary-with-the-new-york-times-spelling-bee-with-fred-eyangoh/Summary: Fred often plays spelling games on his phone during his lunch break, and he has discovered lots of new words as a result. In this episode I talk to Fred about his process of discovering and understanding new words and I talk about learning vocabulary with online dictionaries. (1hr 23 min.)
Tomtit & Baobab: A Bee-Inspired PodcastTwo life-long friends, chat, rant and rave about words, word games, and the New York Times Spelling Bee. Available via several podcast services:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tomtit-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast/id1614136488https://open.spotify.com/show/7DRIjxgwoVAmww9vF2OHlyhttps://www.audacy.com/podcast/tomtit-amp-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast-10df1https://luminarypodcasts.com/listen/tomtitandbaobab/tomtit-and-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast/abb24cf1-aeb7-4dc5-ad54-b509165fb713?country=UShttps://universeodon.com/@tomtitbaobabhttps://rephonic.com/podcasts/tomtit-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcasthttps://getpodcast.com/uk/podcast/tomtit-and-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast
Word Puzzles with Michael ShowalterFilling The Void, Season 3, Ep. 5, Tuesday, March 7, 2023https://shows.acast.com/ftv/episodes/word-puzzles-with-michael-showalterOn this week’s Filling the Void, Lesley chats with director Michael Showalter on his word puzzle hobby. From the New York Times Spelling Bee to the Wordle/Quordle/Octordle universe, Showalter describes how one word game spiraled into a daily obsession …
UVA's King of Crosswords Wins Dream JobRADIO IQ Sandy HausmanWVTF, June 8, 2017https://www.wvtf.org/news/2017-06-08/uvas-king-of-crosswords-wins-dream-job
Discussion Sites
New York Times Spelling Bee Forum https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/spelling-bee-forum NY Times Spelling Bee Puzzle: Discussion of the daily New York Times Spelling Bee puzzleReddit https://www.reddit.com/r/NYTSpellingBee/
VIDEO Hello PuzzlersThe "Hello Puzzlers" podcast has posted an episode recorded at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in May. Among the guests was Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky (who was a crossword constructor long before he became Bee editor). The segment with Sam E, in which he discusses the Spelling Bee (esp word selection), begins at 38:00.Apr 12 2026https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMrHaTEppvg Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky has a trivia question for you!NY Times InstagramFeb 24 2026https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVKEMSZEufN/
Which Spelling Bee puzzle will make it to the top spot?NYTimes InstagramFeb 05 2026https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUYQNYgDmbU/Puzzle editors Sam Ezersky and Joel Fagliano continue their blind rankings in part two.
We asked puzzle editors Sam Ezersky and Joel Fagliano to blind rank ten Spelling Bee boards. NYTimes InstagramFeb 04 2026https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUVZ1JMlwW3/Watch them chat about their ranking strategy and which letter combinations they love. Which set of letters do you think will top the list?
Want to reach Queen Bee status?NYTimes InstagramDec 5 2025https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR4VUi7gRW9/Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky shares three tips to help you rise in the ranks. The Making of BeeatriceNew York Times Instagram, September 23, 2025https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO8kiBGEo2F/?hl=enRobert Vinluan, a lead product designer on the Games team, describes the lore behind Spelling Bee’s cartoon mascot. Happy Spelling Bee-DayNew York Times Instagram, May 9, 2025https://www.instagram.com/p/DJb4vmKOsLx/ Why do we have human games editors? [Spelling Bee Editor Sam Ezersky explains.]New York Times Instagram, September 3, 2024https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_dZxiaR_de/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Nobody’s doing it like Steve G and the Spelling Bee writers.New York Times Instagram, May 3, 2024https://www.instagram.com/mynytimes/reel/C6hGGQbRK09/We chatted with editor Sam Ezersky about the heroes of the hive mind. Editor Sam Ezersky has some choice words for Spelling Bee hint writer Steve G. 👀👀New York Times Instagram, May 3, 2023https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gjZAzu4cf/
Part of being the Spelling Bee editor means answering to the hive mind.New York Times Instagram, April 30, 2024https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6Y8AjKuUmJ/Sam Ezersky shares his most unexpected moments on the job. An evening with Sam Ezersky, the Digital Puzzles Editor for the New York Timespresented in LA by Writers’ Bloc on November 21, 2023.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLaeXF72r-A 1 hour, 8 minutes. Description of the event here: https://writersblocpresents.com/main/sam-ezersky/
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenAmong the guests: New York Times editors Tracy Bennett (Wordle) and Sam Ezersky (Spelling Bee)Episode: October 1 – available on Peacock (subscription required)
The making of the cult favorite game, “Spelling Bee” [3:45 video] [worth watching]Brut, May 22, 2022https://www.brut.media/us/entertainment/the-making-of-the-cult-favorite-game-spelling-bee--3a9b7270-9272-4861-9453-1471922c57beIt’s the puzzle game everyone is obsessed with. Brut spoke to the digital puzzle editor of The New York Times on making the internet’s nerdiest word game “Spelling Bee.”
William Jackson Harper Solves the NYT Spelling Bee [with Sam Ezersky and Deb Amlen]New York Times on YouTube, April 16, 2021https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2A9t8Ozg_sWatch crossword columnist Deb Amlen and Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky, as they solve the Spelling Bee with actor William Jackson Harper …Then, they’ll share secret places to get hints — and give you a sneak peek of an upcoming puzzle.
Let’s Play Spelling Bee [with Sam Ezersky and Deb Amlen]New York Times via Facebook, January 3, 2019https://www.facebook.com/nytimes/videos/lets-play-spelling-bee/2271234036495999/[does not require a Facebook membership or login]We’re playing a new game today! Make as many four-letter words as you can using the center letter at least once. You can repeat the other letters as often as you’d like. Wordplay columnist Deb Amlen and associate puzzles editor Sam Ezersky take on the Spelling Bee, a new puzzle from the New York Times Games team. Join us as we try to make as many words as possible, and then stay for an AMA with Sam, who edits the game.
Podcasts and Audio Hello PuzzlersThe "Hello Puzzlers" podcast has posted an episode recorded at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in May. Among the guests was Spelling Bee editor Sam Ezersky (who was a crossword constructor long before he became Bee editor). The segment with Sam E, in which he discusses the Spelling Bee (esp word selection), begins at 38:00.Apr 12 2026https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMrHaTEppvg The RoundtableJanuary 16 2026https://www.wamc.org/podcast/the-roundtable/2026-01-17/roundtable-panel-the-week-in-review-episode-250Casual and incidental discussion of Spelling Bee starts at 3:59; not related to the scheduled topics.
Puzzling over crosswords with the editors of NYT GamesConnecticut Public Radio: Where We Live [local arts audio magazine]August 19 2024https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/2024-08-19/puzzling-over-crosswords-with-will-shortz-and-the-editors-of-nyt-gamesIt's an hour for puzzle lovers! NPR's Puzzlemaster and The New York Times Crossword Editor Will Shortz and Everdeen Mason from The Times, talk about The Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections and more. Plus, we’re celebrating 10 years of the Mini Crossword with its creator and editor, Joel Fagliano. GUESTS: Will Shortz: NPR's Puzzlemaster and Crossword Editor for The New York Times Everdeen Mason: Editorial Director for Games for The New York Times Joel Fagliano: Digital Puzzles Editor and Creator of The Mini Crossword for The New York TimesThere's a "LISTEN" button on the linked page.
How to Improve Your Spelling BeeMay 20, 2024In this podcast we unravel the secrets to mastering the New York Times Spelling Bee! In this episode, we share expert tips on improving your game, from finding the longest words to unlocking the power of prefixes and suffixes. Plus, discover the ultimate resource for daily solutions at NYT Spelling Bee Answers blog. Tune in and elevate your wordplay skills today!https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sonia5807/episodes/How-to-improve-at-NYT-Spelling-Bee---Pro-Tips-e2jsi25
‘New York Times’ and the puzzle warsMarch 31, 2024National Public Radio, All Things Consideredhttps://www.npr.org/2024/03/31/1241923496/new-york-times-and-the-puzzle-warsThe New York Times is dominating a gaming business that many other media organizations are trying to break into. (Five-minute audio; complete transcript at the link.)
You Know What I Would Do (podcast)Episode 87, February 7, 2024Light-hearted conversation with guest Lauren Lapkus about various topics including the NYT Spelling BeeThe segment about the NYT Spelling Bee begins at 54:25, ends at 62:42https://www.ivoox.com/episode-87-with-lauren-lapkus-multiversions-boring-books-audios-mp3_rf_123904117_1.htmlThe guest, who describes herself as “very, very good” at solving the SB, is a fairly new player, with a few weeks’ experience under her belt. She and the host compare notes on solving strategies. They also discuss Wordle and Connections, especially how those puzzles compare to Spelling Bee. There is a bit of salty language. The conversation seems to have taken place on Feb 05. Also available on Spotify and other podcast sites.
“Jonathan Knight (New York Times) | The Power of Shared Experiences"The CMO Podcast, January 3, 2024https://player.fm/series/the-cmo-podcast/jonathan-knight-new-york-times-the-power-of-shared-experiencesRing in the new year with the CMO Podcast as Jim welcomes Jonathan Knight, the SVP, Head of Games for The New York Times. The Times Games include the famous New York Times Crossword Puzzle, The Mini Crossword, Wordle, Spelling Bee, Connections, and Tiles. Founded in 1851, The New York Times is one of the oldest and most respected brands in the world, with nearly 10 million subscribers. Jonathan knows a lot about building brands with high and lasting consumer engagement and loyalty. He has worked in the gaming industry for nearly 30 years, holding roles at Activision in the early days, then Electronic Arts as the senior leader on the Sims franchise. Jonathan then moved to Zynga and Warner Brothers Games before joining the New York Times Games in the fall of 2020. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about how brands can learn from the high-growth gaming category, and what leaders at large could learn from popular and lasting game brands.also here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cmo-podcast/id1460604334https://www.everand.com/podcast/696332655/Jonathan-Knight-New-York-Times-The-Power-of-Shared-Experiences
“The New York Times Spelling Bee & The Mystery of “Steve G" Can I Tell You Something (podcast) Episode 8, August 23, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6qxLZHlWycOn this week’s episode, we delve into the history of the popular New York Times mobile games, Worldle, Crosswords, and Spelling Bee. … There has been a mystery brewing in the back of minds as to the illusive [sic] identity of the (almost) critically acclaimed “Steve G”, Spelling Bee player. If you have played this game before, you will surely know of who [sic] we speak. Tune in for a sleuthing escapade in which we hunt for Steve G’s identity, in a non-creepy way.”See also discussion of this video in the Spelling Bee forum at this link: https://nyti.ms/3MUGEdZ#permid=129323483
By a LandslideA Way with Words, March 13 2023, Episode 1611https://www.waywordradio.org/by-a-landslide/The segment of interest begins at 2:00. As described in the episode summary: “Puzzling over the New York Times Spelling Bee, [a caller] played the word pipped, but was surprised that the game disallowed it. … It’s true that the word is commonly used in British English, but as Bee editor Sam Ezersky has explained, the game’s answers are selected from curated lists compiled from some dictionaries and not others, and those parameters are also part of the challenge.”
From The New York Times’ ‘Spelling Bee’ to orthography, a look at all things spellingConnecticut Public Radio, originally aired December 6, 2022https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/2023-06-26/from-the-new-york-times-spelling-bee-to-orthography-a-look-at-all-things-spellingThis hour: spelling — what it is, why it matters, and why some of us actually find it fun. There will be a test. Guests include Deb Amlen: Crossword columnist and senior staff editor of the crossword column Wordplay for The New York Times; Richard Gentry: Education consultant and the author, most recently, of the Spelling Connections series; and Peter Sokolowski: Editor at large at Merriam-Webster and a member of the Word Panel for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
The New York Times Spelling BeeWNYC, January 13, 2022 (13 minutes)https://www.wnyc.org/story/new-york-times-spelling-bee/New York Times digital puzzles editor Sam Ezersky joins us to talk about the “Spelling Bee.” We also ask callers about their feelings about the bee.
The Quest for Queen Bee.The Keith Law Show, September 11, 2021 (44 minutes)Keith is joined by Sam Ezersky, Digital Puzzles Editor for the New York Times, to discuss their shared love of word puzzles, the highly engaging and potentially addictive ‘Spelling Bee’, Sam’s path to his current role, and the ongoing challenge of determining which words make the cut for each version of the puzzle.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/sc/podcast/the-quest-for-queen-bee-w-sam-ezersky/id1499877854?i=1000541286581Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3327d6c3-f1c7-4aaf-8ea6-72a04cdcb78d/episodes/172762f4-73f1-47d4-99a0-18f0cbe86a06/the-keith-law-show-the-quest-for-%E2%80%98queen-bee%E2%80%99-w-sam-ezersky
How the Grid Kid Became King of the Online Spelling Bee: The New York Times’ Sam Ezersky breaks down how he adjudicates the Spelling Bee.Slate, August 31, 2021https://slate.com/podcasts/spectacular-vernacular/2021/08/are-you-spectacular-vernaculars-next-spelling-bee-championThis is an episode of Spectacular Vernacular, Slate’s podcast about language, where hosts Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer spoke with Sam Ezersky, digital puzzles editor for the New York Times, about the online Spelling Bee, which he oversees.; the entire audio is available within the article. The Spelling Bee segment begins at 18:26 and ends at 36:36.Complete transcript here (machine-generated, full of errors):https://slate.com/transcripts/cHBMRmgwMG9ydlg0U1Y1NE9MN0VVMDRYdXVVT1VpTi92TEF6VTBDaTNTRT0=
Insider Secrets of the Spelling Bee: The New York Times’ Sam Ezersky reveals all.Nicole Holliday and Ben ZimmerSlate, August 31, 2021https://slate.com/culture/2021/08/nyt-spelling-bee-sam-ezersky.htmlThis article is a condensed transcript of an episode of Spectacular Vernacular, Slate’s podcast about language, where hosts Nicole Holliday and Ben Zimmer spoke with Sam Ezersky, digital puzzles editor for the New York Times, about the online Spelling Bee, which he oversees.; the entire audio is available within the article. Within that recording, the Spelling Bee segment begins at 18:26 and ends at 36:36.Complete transcript here (machine-generated, full of errors):https://slate.com/transcripts/cHBMRmgwMG9ydlg0U1Y1NE9MN0VVMDRYdXVVT1VpTi92TEF6VTBDaTNTRT0= Secrets of the New York Times Spelling BeeCulture GabfestFeb 24, 2021https://podcasts.musixmatch.com/podcast/culture-gabfest-01hvbyrfsgsjjt60fg2gnatrx0/episode/secrets-of-the-new-york-times-spelling-bee-01hw7tj7pt6s89kk2qtcdwdxdvSegment on the New York Times’s Spelling Bee puzzle and interview its creator, 24-year-old Sam Ezersky begins at 19:50.
How Fred Learns Vocabulary with the New York Times Spelling Bee (with Fred Eyangoh)Episode 720 in the podcast series “Luke’s ENGLISH Podcast: Learn British English with Luke Thompson”https://teacherluke.co.uk/2021/05/18/720-how-fred-learns-vocabulary-with-the-new-york-times-spelling-bee-with-fred-eyangoh/Summary: Fred often plays spelling games on his phone during his lunch break, and he has discovered lots of new words as a result. In this episode I talk to Fred about his process of discovering and understanding new words and I talk about learning vocabulary with online dictionaries. (1hr 23 min.)
Tomtit & Baobab: A Bee-Inspired PodcastTwo life-long friends, chat, rant and rave about words, word games, and the New York Times Spelling Bee. Available via several podcast services:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tomtit-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast/id1614136488https://open.spotify.com/show/7DRIjxgwoVAmww9vF2OHlyhttps://www.audacy.com/podcast/tomtit-amp-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast-10df1https://luminarypodcasts.com/listen/tomtitandbaobab/tomtit-and-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast/abb24cf1-aeb7-4dc5-ad54-b509165fb713?country=UShttps://universeodon.com/@tomtitbaobabhttps://rephonic.com/podcasts/tomtit-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcasthttps://getpodcast.com/uk/podcast/tomtit-and-baobab-a-bee-inspired-podcast
Word Puzzles with Michael ShowalterFilling The Void, Season 3, Ep. 5, Tuesday, March 7, 2023https://shows.acast.com/ftv/episodes/word-puzzles-with-michael-showalterOn this week’s Filling the Void, Lesley chats with director Michael Showalter on his word puzzle hobby. From the New York Times Spelling Bee to the Wordle/Quordle/Octordle universe, Showalter describes how one word game spiraled into a daily obsession …
UVA's King of Crosswords Wins Dream JobRADIO IQ Sandy HausmanWVTF, June 8, 2017https://www.wvtf.org/news/2017-06-08/uvas-king-of-crosswords-wins-dream-job
Discussion Sites
New York Times Spelling Bee Forum https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/spelling-bee-forum NY Times Spelling Bee Puzzle: Discussion of the daily New York Times Spelling Bee puzzleReddit https://www.reddit.com/r/NYTSpellingBee/