Explore These Engaging Word Games Beyond Wordle

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 14, 2025 (AP) — As Wordle celebrates its fourth anniversary, this once-simple five-letter guessing game has captivated millions around the globe, transforming into a pop culture phenomenon since its public release in 2021. Originally created by Josh Wardle for his partner, Wordle was later acquired by The New York Times. Now, with a wide variety of alternatives available, puzzle enthusiasts can dive into a wealth of similar word games.

Wordle challenges players to guess a five-letter word within six tries. After each guess, the game displays feedback with colored blocks: gray for incorrect letters, yellow for correct letters in the wrong positions, and green for letters in their correct locations. Once players finish the daily puzzle, they must wait until the following day to try again, adding to the game’s addictive nature.

For those looking to extend their wordplay experience, here are ten engaging games that fans of Wordle might enjoy. One popular game is Connections, another New York Times-owned puzzle where players group four sets of four words without exceeding four mistakes. It features four difficulty levels, signifying varying color codes from easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple).

Another variation is Strands, which resembles a classic word search where players find words in a grid that align with a daily theme. Words can appear in different orientations and must intersect correctly. Like Connections, a New York Times subscription is necessary to access Strands.

For Apple News Plus subscribers, the game Quartiles offers a unique challenge. Players attempt to create words from 20 letter tiles, with the longest words being four letters long—known as Quartiles. This game can be played on iPhones and iPads but requires a subscription.

If you crave a more challenging experience, consider Dordle, Quordle, Octordle, or Sedecordle, all of which adapt the original Wordle format to allow players to solve multiple words simultaneously. Dordle presents two words to guess, Quordle expands it to four, Octordle to eight, and Sedecordle challenges players with an impressive sixteen words.

For a different twist on word games, players can try Lewdle, which includes profane language and is recommended only for those comfortable with crude humor. Like Wordle, it employs the same color-coded feedback system to guide players through a daily puzzle.

Antiwordle offers yet another innovative take: instead of guessing a word in the fewest tries possible, players work to avoid correctly identifying the answer. Here, guessing the letters leads to various feedback categories—gray letters are not in the word, yellow letters must be included in future attempts, and red letters are locked in their correct positions.

If you enjoy a challenge, Absurdle makes word guessing even trickier by dynamically changing the secret word as players guess, compelling them to focus on deduction without clear guidance.

As players continue to engage with these fun and challenging word games, they can also check out CNET‘s extensive coverage for more information on platforms beyond traditional gaming.