Scott Duke Kominers

Scott Duke Kominers is the MBA Class of 1960 Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and a faculty affiliate of the Harvard University department of economics.

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US-GAMES-WORDLE

Bloomberg Opinion

Why One Little Goof Drove Wordle Fans Nuts

A botched word substitution added complexity to a simple game, put politics into an innocent one and spoiled the social cohesion that players cherish.

May 11, 2022

May 11, 2022

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Why One Little Goof Drove Wordle Fans Nuts

A botched word substitution added complexity to a simple game, put politics into an innocent one and spoiled the social cohesion that players cherish.

US-GAMES-WORDLE

April 6, 2022

April 6, 2022

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

The Failure of Covid.gov Is Worse Than Inexcusable

We’ve waited more than two years for the government’s “one-stop shop” website for pandemic services, information and treatment options. Why is it such a mess?

President Biden Delivers Remarks On Covid-19

March 15, 2022

March 15, 2022

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

How a Ukrainian Economist Is Fighting the Russians

Since the bombs started to drop, Kyiv School of Economics President Tymofiy Mylovanov has been working on the nightmare logistics of humanitarian aid in a war zone.

CANADA-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-POLAND-CONFLICT-AIDE

January 25, 2022

January 25, 2022

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Why Facebook and Twitter Opened the Door to NFTs

The social-media giants are taking a calculated risk by relaxing control over some of their users’ data to accommodate the craze for blockchain-based digital collectibles.

Why Facebook and Twitter Opened the Door to NFTs

January 20, 2022

January 20, 2022

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Most NFTs Are More Like Baseball Cards Than Fine Art

Collectors aren’t just paying crazy prices for blockchain entries. They’re also buying affordable access to communities and the opportunities that come with it. (Ask Eminem.)

Most NFTs Are More Like Baseball Cards Than Fine Art

December 31, 2021

December 31, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

2021 Was a Mess, Unless You Count the Palindrome Days

Whichever way you look at it, the year was mathematically exciting. Even in a mirror.

2021 Times Square New Year's Eve Celebration

December 19, 2021

December 19, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: The Grinch Isn’t Sure What to Steal

A mysterious journey inspired by our favorite story to read during the holidays.

Jim Carrey In 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas'

December 12, 2021

December 12, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers and Lara Williams

Kominers’s Conundrums: Houston, We Have a Cube-Shaped Problem

The hottest spot on the moon is a mountain of mystery. But all the clues are there.

Kominers’s Conundrums: Houston, We Have a Cube-Shaped Problem

November 28, 2021

November 28, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: Meet Me in the Metaverse — If You Can

A grumpy AI named Marvin holds the keys to your trip. Can you hack him?

Night cityscape with Neon light and Futuristic digital design

November 16, 2021

November 16, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Just Tell Everybody to Go Get a Covid Booster

Convoluted U.S. guidelines are undermining public health as vaccine immunity wanes and infections rise. Simplicity is the best medicine.

Just Tell Everybody to Go Get a Covid Booster

November 7, 2021

November 7, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: Looping Letters in a Narrative Arc

Can you decode a colorful cipher that looks absolutely breathtaking in the right light?

The problem with dyslexia

October 31, 2021

October 31, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers and Lara Williams

Kominers’s Conundrums: Can You Escape the Conjurer's Curse?

Some pumpkins, ghosts and a monster mashup are full of clues.

Glowing Vapor Surrounding House

October 24, 2021

October 24, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: True or False? That’s Just the Start

A multi-part puzzle combines trivia and logic in a surprisingly fun way.

finding solution for a problem concept with jigsaw puzzle pieces

October 17, 2021

October 17, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: All Hail the Newest ‘Jeopardy’ Star

Matt Amodio covered a lot of ground in his record-breaking run. Can you keep up?

ABC's "Good Morning America" - 2021

October 11, 2021

October 11, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Nobel Winners Found Economic Experiments in the Real World

Their research improved our understanding of everything from minimum wages and education to military service and lottery winnings.

Nobel Winners Found Economic Experiments in the Real World

October 3, 2021

October 3, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers and Lara Williams

Kominers’s Conundrums: Overstuffed Bears Seeking Stability

This puzzle features three furry teams of salmon munchers and a topsy-turvy pier.

Kominers’s Conundrums: Overstuffed Bears Seeking Stability

September 28, 2021

September 28, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

World Can Have Covid Boosters and Its First Doses, Too

There is a way to bolster existing immunity and speed up the next phase of vaccination at the same time.

The very definition of a public good.

September 26, 2021

September 26, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: Weight Weight… Don’t Tell Me!

Boris Johnson’s mission to rebalance the scales is a great excuse for a pounds-and-ounces puzzle.

Old-fashioned weight on weighing scale against gray background

September 19, 2021

September 19, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: Jigsaw Puzzles From Famous Quotes

Each line has one superfluous word, and those words together form an extra quote.

Speech Bubble

September 12, 2021

September 12, 2021

OpinionScott Duke Kominers

Kominers’s Conundrums: Pick a Number, Any Number at All

This game has been played in newspapers and game theory classrooms all around the world. Now it’s your turn.

Infinite random numbers background