12 Exciting Word Games to Explore Now That You're Hooked on Wordle

The digital world is currently captivated by a fresh craze (and no, it’s not innovative sourdough recipes). It’s Wordle, the widely adored daily word puzzle that has swept the globe. Whether you’ve been solving The New York Times crossword since childhood or are just venturing into the realm of word games, Wordle is an essential experience for anyone looking to sharpen their anagram skills.

The game offers six attempts to guess the day’s hidden word. Letters turn grey if they’re absent from the target word, yellow if they’re correct but misplaced, and green if they’re both correct and in the right position. While there are strategies to improve your gameplay, one significant drawback of this ingenious game is its daily limit. If one round isn’t sufficient and you’re craving more letter-based challenges, explore these 12 word games below, perfect for any word enthusiast.

1. Boggle; $10

Boggle is a timeless game that challenges your ability to quickly form words. On your turn, shake the container to randomize the letter cubes, flip the timer, and race to create as many words as possible within the 90-second limit to outscore your competitors.

2. A Little Wordy; $15

Developed by the Exploding Kittens team, A Little Wordy combines anagram creation and word-guessing for two players. Each player receives a set of letter tiles to arrange into words, which are then secretly written down. Using clue cards, players take turns deducing each other’s hidden words in this engaging and strategic game.

3. Wordplay; $28

Wordplay is a family-friendly game that brings everyone together. Players use a board with a central spinner to select the round’s starting letter, an additional letter, and a category. For instance, you might land on P as the first letter, S as the second, and the Eiffel Tower symbol (representing “places”) as the category. Your goal is to craft three words fitting these criteria to score the highest points. Even if you struggle with the category, you can still earn points by incorporating the two assigned letters into your words.

4. Bananagrams; $14

A timeless word game that simply can’t be overlooked is Bananagrams. Housed in a banana-shaped pouch containing 144 tiles, this game is perfect for on-the-go fun since it doesn’t require a board. The rules are straightforward: After drawing your tiles, race to construct intersecting words in the style of a crossword puzzle as quickly as possible.

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5. Quiddler; $13

This dynamic anagram card game challenges you to think differently. Quiddler puts your word-forming skills to the test across several rounds, beginning with three cards and increasing to 10 by the final round. Each round requires you to create at least three words using only three letters—such as “cat,” “and,” and “zoo”—to determine who finishes first. Every turn introduces a new set of cards, with one more than the previous round. Bonus points are awarded for crafting the most words and the longest word.

6. Magnetic Hangman; $13

For those who fondly remember rainy-day recesses indoors, Hangman was a staple. Similar to Wordle, Hangman reveals the number of letters in the mystery word, and you deduce the correct letters through elimination. This magnetic version is perfect for killing time during long car trips, lunch breaks, or while waiting in a doctor’s office.

7. The Daily Jumble 2022 Boxed Daily Calendar; $16

Alongside your daily Wordle challenges, incorporate The Daily Jumble into your morning rituals. This boxed calendar provides four scrambled words each day, with circled mystery letters that help you solve the accompanying cartoon on every sheet.

8. Scrabble; $19

While you’ve likely played it before, Scrabble remains the quintessential word game and a must-play for Wordle enthusiasts. Created by New York architect Alfred Mosher Butts in 1933, it was originally named Lexico and later Criss-Cross Words before settling on Scrabble. The game includes a board, 100 wooden letter tiles, and four tile racks, allowing you and up to three friends to showcase your vocabulary prowess.

9. Word Spin; $18

For those who crave more letter options in word games, Word Spin is a perfect choice. This innovative puzzle features a handheld device with eight magnetic wheels, each containing 10 letters. You can spin, rearrange, and separate the wheels to form words that outshine your opponent’s creations.

10. Dabble; $30

Similar to Wordle, Dabble challenges you to meet specific letter counts to win. What makes it unique is its setup: you’re given 20 tiles and five minutes to create five words of different lengths. Each player uses a stand to organize and rearrange their tiles during gameplay. The first to complete all words wins. The game also includes Spanish letter tiles like “ñ,” allowing for bilingual play.

11. Scattergories; $11

Much like Scrabble, Scattergories is a beloved word and category game that deserves a spot in your collection. Each round begins by selecting a list of categories and rolling a 20-sided die to pick the starting letter for your answers. Play solo or in teams, but be prepared to complete 12 words before time runs out. Ideal for quick thinkers, families, and competitive friends, this game is a crowd-pleaser.

12. Upwords; $20

Picture playing Scrabble, but with the added twist of stacking letter tiles on top of existing ones to form entirely new words. That’s the essence of Upwords. With two to four players, each starting with seven tiles, you build words on a rotating board. As the game unfolds, you can modify opponents’ words by stacking tiles, earning extra points for each layer you add.