Is The New York Times Connections Trademarked? (The Answer Might Surprise You!)

In this article, I explore the trademark status of this engaging puzzle game.

I delve into the game and the specific legal landscape surrounding it.

As intellectual property concerns continue to intersect with digital entertainment and media, understanding these aspects becomes crucial for creators and consumers.

What is Connections?

Connections is another New York Times game and is designed to challenge players to make associations between different words or concepts.

The game involves connecting dots on a grid, where each dot represents a unique word or idea.

Players must draw lines between seemingly unrelated items by finding hidden connections.

How to play New York Times Connections

Players begin playing the Connections game by selecting dots from a grid, each labeled with different words.

The objective is to draw lines between these dots by identifying the connections between the words.

These connections could be:

• Semantic,
• Symbolic,
• Or cultural.

The game is timed, adding an element of pressure.

And players can earn points based on the speed and complexity of the connections they discover.

What is the trademark status of New York Times Connections?

As of the latest available information, "Connections" is not trademarked by the New York Times.

Without a registered trademark, The New York Times may have limited ability to enforce exclusive rights over the name "Connections" in relation to their game.

This means that other entities could potentially use the same or a similar name for their games or related products without infringing on a registered trademark, which could lead to market confusion.

However:

Even without a registered trademark, if The New York Times can establish that "Connections" has acquired distinctiveness and is associated with them in the minds of the public, they might still have common law trademark rights.

These rights can offer some protection, particularly within the geographical areas where the game is well-known and has been marketed.

Being well-known or having a significant reputation can offer some informal protection because the public and competitors are likely to recognize the association of the game with The New York Times.

This recognition can dissuade others from using the name due to potential customer confusion or informal pressure from the community or industry standards.

In cases where another party uses the "Connections" name in a way that causes confusion or deceives consumers, The New York Times could still pursue legal actions based on unfair competition or passing off, arguing that such use misleads consumers about the origin or endorsement of the products.

The New York Times takes down Wordle clones

The New York Times has another popular game — Wordle.

It's a daily puzzle game.

They've actively pursued legal action against creators of games that closely mimic the format and gameplay of their popular game.

The takedown notices have targeted a range of spinoff versions, including those in different languages and with unique twists, underlining the newspaper's intent to protect its legal rights over the game's unique format and gameplay elements.

Some developers, such as the creator of an Australian version known as AusErdle, have had to discontinue their games due to these legal pressures, which has sparked discussions about the balance between copyright enforcement and creative freedom.

Get ahead of the competition — protect your brand!

Don't rely on common law protection like the New York Times.

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Learn more about Connections in the below video from TODAY: