Wizard of Wordle

By Alexandra Richter

Sonwane earned an undergraduate degree in electronics and communication engineering, but during his first job at Accenture in India, he found himself pivoting toward software engineering. Driven to accelerate his career and grow professionally, he enrolled in the UB School of Management’s Master of Science in Management Information Systems program.

“In my work at Accenture, my scope was limited,” Sonwane says. “The UB program — from the electives to the core curriculum — helped me understand the economics and social nuances behind a management information system or an IT system. I learned how product teams and leaders think, enabling me to explain why decisions are made and how management views different systems.”

After completing his master’s degree, Sonwane joined a creative agency, Holler Studios. The startup, which provided emoticons to different chat applications, introduced him to the creative media field.

From there he moved to Kaplan, a global educational services company, where he continued building his skills in quality assurance — working behind the scenes to ensure products work correctly before they are delivered.

Now, as a senior quality assurance engineer for The New York Times, he serves as the last line of defense for every major game the newspaper releases. Each day, Sonwane ensures that the Times’ tradition of providing readers with engaging word and logic games — which began with the launch of The Crossword in 1942 — lives on. From Wordle to Connections and Spelling Bee, Sonwane has tested each game thoroughly.

He leads quality assurance teams for New York Times Games, focusing on test automation, release management, functional and performance testing, and requirements analysis. His work ensures that games handle daily traffic surges without missing a beat.

“It feels like a personal triumph to be able to tell the world that they are playing something I created or tested,” he says. “But, the number one risk in quality assurance is that whenever you make a mistake, the world sees it. Our biggest challenge is to not let any error or bug into production.”

Looking to the future, Sonwane sees how generative AI is already reshaping the future of quality assurance and test automation.

“I don’t believe that AI will take quality assurance jobs, but a person who knows how to use generative AI to write code or test automation will have a distinct edge,” he says.

To that end, Sonwane advises current Management Information Systems students to use trendy tech strategically.

“AI is the latest buzzword,” he says. “Don’t just chase the latest trend. Evaluate how that trend aligns with your own career path and how it can help advance your professional growth.”

Sonwane continues to refine The New York Times’ puzzle offerings for millions of users each day. Among his personal favorites are Wordle, followed closely by Connections, Spelling Bee and Strands.

Thanks to Sonwane and his dedicated team, puzzle solvers worldwide enjoy games that transcend borders — uniting curious minds across the globe.