Zorse Lives On: NYT Beta Game Archive & Last Puzzle
Rule of thumb about ending stuff
NYT Zorse Beta Has Ended – But We Want to Keep the Fun Alive!
The New York Times officially ended its beta game, Zorse, on January 12th, 2025, leaving fans of this clever phrase mash-up wanting more. While the game is no longer active, you can still explore the full archive of past puzzles right here.
And don’t worry— Zorzzle is here to keep the fun going! It’s our new puzzle game where two phrases come together as one, blending the best of Zorse with the excitement of Puzzle and Wordle!
What is Zorse?
Zorse was an exciting phrase-guessing game from The New York Times, available in its beta phase exclusively in Canada. It challenged players to decipher clever mashups of two phrases, blending wordplay and logic for a unique and mentally stimulating puzzle experience. Sadly, Zorse was retired on January 12th, 2025, leaving many fans disappointed. It was part of NYT's expanding portfolio of digital puzzles, offering something fresh for those who enjoy thinking outside the box. Although the game has ended, we continue to celebrate Zorse’s clever design and creativity.
How to Play Zorse
Objective
In Zorse, your goal was to figure out a clever mash-up phrase that combined two separate phrases into one. The clue at the top of the screen would hint at both components of the combined phrase. The twist? One or more words from each phrase overlapped to form the mash-up. For example, "Man of few words" + "Words of wisdom" gives you "Manoffewwordsofwisdom."
Clues
To help solve the phrase, players could tap a square to reveal a letter. With 5 reveals available, each would show that letter in every spot it appeared. The challenge was to guess the phrase before using all the reveals!
Submit
Once ready, players could tap "Enter a Phrase" to submit their guess. Each player only got one shot, with the answer revealed afterward.
Zorse Scores
The score was represented by ranks—🐴🦓🐎🏇🎠🦄—ranging from "Nice" to "Perfect," based on how many reveals you used. Players aimed for "Perfect" by using fewer reveals!
Explore All Past Zorse Puzzles
Since its launch on October 8, 2024, Zorse featured daily mash-up puzzles. Although the game has ended, fans can still revisit the fun with the full archive of past puzzles below.
Navigate to answer date
NYT Zorse January 12, 2025
Rule of thumb about ending stuff
Answer: EVERYTHING MUST GO OUT WITH A BANG
NYT Zorse January 11, 2025
What the creators of Zorse attempted to do
Answer: REINVENT THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
NYT Zorse January 10, 2025
“Hurry, get over that moat ASAP!”
Answer: “QUICK ON THE DRAWBRIDGE!”
NYT Zorse January 9, 2025
*So* not impressed by Apollo 11 any more
Answer: OVER THE MOON LANDING
NYT Zorse January 8, 2025
Successfully kick your hangover’s butt
Answer: WIN BY A HAIR OF THE DOG
NYT Zorse January 7, 2025
“This new plan came to me while cleaning the storm drain”
Answer: I CHANGED MY MIND IN THE GUTTER
NYT Zorse January 6, 2025
Make an X over your sternum, slightly to the left of center
Answer: CROSS YOUR HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE
NYT Zorse January 5, 2025
Dolly Parton’s tribute to internet videos
Answer: “I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUTUBE”
NYT Zorse January 4, 2025
Pessimist’s caution to a happy optimist
Answer: “WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN IN THE DUMPS”
NYT Zorse January 3, 2025
“This huge animal is here to eat cake!”
Answer: “THERE’S AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM FOR DESSERT”
NYT Zorse January 2, 2025
“If Mr. Shortz is around, we’ll hear some clever puns and witicisms!”
Answer: WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY WITH WORDS
NYT Zorse January 1, 2025
Successfully kick your hangover’s butt
Answer: WIN BY A HAIR OF THE DOG
NYT Zorse December 31, 2024
“Sesame Street” muppet’s last time saying “3, 2, 1”
Answer: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN FOR THE COUNT
NYT Zorse December 30, 2024
Decide it’s finally time to watch that 1962 classic you’ve never seen
Answer: FACE “THE MUSIC MAN”
NYT Zorse December 29, 2024
Bits of adornment for a Best Kindergarten Art Project trophy
Answer: GOOGLY EYES ON THE PRIZE
NYT Zorse December 28, 2024
What Aladdin said to Jasmine before flying faster than anyone has ever flown on a magic carpet
Answer: “I CAN SHOW YOU THE WORLD RECORD”
NYT Zorse December 27, 2024
What an Olympic judge might have after watching an athlete make a splash
Answer: DIVING-IN-HEAD-FIRST IMPRESSION
NYT Zorse December 26, 2024
Instructions for completing a contract while on a desert island
Answer: “SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE IN THE SAND”
NYT Zorse December 25, 2024
Christmas song with lots of extra features
Answer: CAROL OF THE BELLS AND WHISTLES
NYT Zorse December 24, 2024
Popular lifestyle magazine’s exciting announcement about their Christmas issue
Answer: “SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN AND COUNTRY!”
NYT Zorse December 23, 2024
Best. Nana. Ever.
Answer: ALL-TIME GREAT GRANDPARENT
NYT Zorse December 22, 2024
Really, really expensive mutton dish
Answer: AN ARM AND A LEG OF LAMB
NYT Zorse December 21, 2024
Like a movie that takes place surrounded by big famous rocks
Answer: SET IN STONEHENGE
NYT Zorse December 20, 2024
“Who hosts ‘The Great British Bake Off?’” and “Who starred in ‘The Mighty Boosh?’” for two
Answer: NOEL FIELDING QUESTIONS
NYT Zorse December 19, 2024
Motto for a go-getter in the orchestra
Answer: ALL WORK NO PLAYING SECOND FIDDLE
NYT Zorse December 18, 2024
What you might see if you turn some old clothes into a nest
Answer: A BIRD IN THE HAND-ME-DOWNS
NYT Zorse December 17, 2024
Cry after dropping a Christmas cookie from a ship deck
Answer: “GINGERBREAD MAN OVERBOARD”
NYT Zorse December 16, 2024
Ethical landscaper who just happens to be a bit stoned
Answer: THE MORAL, HIGH GROUNDSKEEPER
NYT Zorse December 15, 2024
Season in which weenie roasts are most popular
Answer: HOT DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
NYT Zorse December 14, 2024
Bribe used to get a kid with a sweet tooth to be quiet
Answer: ICE CREAM CONE OF SILENCE
NYT Zorse December 13, 2024
What you might be having when your ‘do is mostly under control
Answer: NOT-HALF-BAD HAIR DAY
NYT Zorse December 12, 2024
Bit of advice on how to manufacture drama on reality dating shows
Answer: “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE TRIANGLES”
NYT Zorse December 11, 2024
What you might might take at a late-night college party
Answer: JELL-O SHOT IN THE DARK
NYT Zorse December 10, 2024
What you might say when a you’re in a flow state with your sparring partner
Answer: “WE’RE ON A ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES”
NYT Zorse December 9, 2024
Advice about installing an 80-foot Christmas tree, e.g.
Answer: “DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”
NYT Zorse December 8, 2024
Make your sodium pentothal last as long as possible
Answer: STRETCH THE TRUTH SERUM
NYT Zorse December 7, 2024
Like the crescent roll dough in pigs in a blanket
Answer: WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER FOOD
NYT Zorse December 6, 2024
Avoid Wile E. Coyote, watch out for TNT and falling anvils, etc.
Answer: THE RULES OF THE ROAD RUNNER
NYT Zorse December 5, 2024
Dedicated time set aside for listening to “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Say My Name”
Answer: A DATE WITH DESTINY’S CHILD
NYT Zorse December 4, 2024
What The Three Stooges participated in by a swamp
Answer: SLAPSTICK IN THE MUD
NYT Zorse December 3, 2024
What you might say at the end of renovation when it’s finally time to pick out a faucet
Answer: “NOW I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK”
NYT Zorse December 2, 2024
Shiftless layabout who’s not quite so bad
Answer: THE GREATER GOOD-FOR-NOTHING
NYT Zorse December 1, 2024
“If we want to get an Uber, we’ve got to go now!“
Answer: “MOVE IT ALONG FOR THE RIDE”