With the way everyone is talking about the spell timers being linked consider this:
Perhaps it's because they needed to get the delta out today to prove they're working?
Perhaps it's only the first step in rebalancing the spells?
Perhaps it's a fix that has been long in the making due to other interruptions?
And perhaps there's yet to come to make spellcasting a stronger set of adventuring possibilities as they get more deltas put in?