Buzz
Wordle quickly became a global sensation, but its straightforward gameplay left players wondering what to do after solving the daily puzzle. Over the years, numerous spin-offs and similar games have emerged, each incorporating unique elements like five-letter words, color-coded feedback, or the thrill of deduction. Here’s a curated list of 14 exceptional alternatives to keep the fun going.
Waffle
Kicking off our list is a charming and approachable game. Waffle challenges you with a grid of six five-letter words, and your goal is to rearrange the tiles to solve the puzzle. While the limited number of swaps adds a layer of difficulty, the solution remains within reach as all the necessary letters are displayed upfront.
Flagle
I struggled to decide whether to highlight Flagle, which incorporates national flags, or Worldle, which uses country outlines, for the geography-themed entry. Ultimately, I chose Flagle due to its dual-win mechanics: not only can you deduce the country’s location, but you can also uncover portions of its flag for an added challenge.
Hurdle
This might be the final simple and user-friendly game on our list, so savor it while you can. Hurdle presents five Wordle-inspired puzzles daily. Each solved puzzle unlocks the next, and the fifth round pre-fills with the answers from the previous four, leaving you with only two attempts to conquer the final challenge.
Absurdle
Absurdle lives up to its name with a truly bizarre concept—the target word shifts to avoid your guesses. The only fair play it offers is honoring its prior clues. For instance, if it confirms the word starts with an R, the solution will indeed begin with R, but the rest remains unpredictable. Victory here means forcing the algorithm into a position where it has no choice but to reveal the final word, admitting your triumph.
Heardle
Heardle brings a contemporary twist to the classic Name That Tune! concept, challenging players to recognize songs from just the opening seconds. Featuring tracks from Spotify’s most-streamed hits, it’s also a fun way to gauge how in-tune you are with current pop culture trends.
Squabble
Squabble introduces a competitive edge to the Wordle formula. (Another similar game is coming up.) If you’re confident in your word-guessing skills, you can now test them against friends or random opponents in real-time. Incorrect guesses drain your health bar, while correct ones replenish it. The battle continues, potentially spanning multiple words, until only one player remains victorious.
Mordle
If Squabble appeals to you, give the massively multiplayer Mordle a try. With up to 100 participants, the gameplay is streamlined—no need to monitor others’ boards or engage in direct competition. Simply solve the puzzle as quickly as possible and see how your speed stacks up against others.
Quordle and other multi-Wordle games
When Dordle (the double Wordle) debuted, it seemed overwhelming—solving two Wordles simultaneously? Yet, with practice, it becomes manageable. The trend has since expanded. Quordle strikes the perfect balance with four puzzles, but Octordle, Sedecordle, and Duotrigordle also offer thrilling challenges. While multi-Wordles may seem intimidating initially, the abundance of grids ensures that nearly every guess provides valuable clues somewhere.
Antiwordle
Antiwordle is arguably the most devilish game on this list, and that’s quite a statement. It follows the same rules as Wordle’s hard mode, where you must reuse correctly guessed letters. However, the twist is that your goal is to avoid guessing the correct word. Succeeding in guessing it means you lose.
Semantle
Most word games favor those with strong spelling skills, as recognizing common letter patterns provides an edge. If you’ve ever wished for a game that challenges you to guess a word’s meaning rather than its spelling, Semantle is your answer. It’s tricky to start, but once you get the hang of it, focus on words with related meanings to crack the puzzle.
WordAll
Whenever you receive green and yellow squares after a guess, the game is essentially narrowing down a pool of possible solutions. (For example, all words with an E in the second position and a T elsewhere.) WordAll takes a partially completed game, pauses it, and challenges you to list all the words that fit the current clues. It’s a stimulating mental workout and can sharpen your Wordle strategy.
Artle
This time, we’re stepping away from words for an art-inspired game called Artle. It presents snippets of artworks by the same artist, offering insights into familiar creators and introducing you to new ones.
Squardle
If Waffle charmed you, Squardle is its mischievous counterpart. This crossword-style game requires you to type all your guesses manually. While that seems simple, deciphering the color-coded hints for each square adds complexity. Like Microsoft’s Clippy, the hints aim to assist but often lead to confusion. To win, you must interpret these clues effectively without getting overwhelmed by their abundance.
Redactle
Forget solving one word or even six at a time—Redactle takes it to the next level. It presents an entire Wikipedia article with most of the text redacted, mimicking classified government documents. Your task is to guess words; correct guesses reveal those words in the article. The ultimate goal is to deduce the article’s title, which could range from a famous person to an abstract scientific theory.
