Wordle has taken the world by storm, but there are plenty of other puzzle and word games that you might enjoy if you're looking for a new challenge. Here’s a curated list of 18 engaging games to test your wit and vocabulary.
1. Absurdle
Description: Unlike Wordle, which has one correct answer each day, Absurdle is designed to be nearly impossible to solve. The algorithm chooses words that are as different from the user's first guess as possible, and the correct answer changes with each guess until there is only one possible word left.
2. Artle
Description: From the National Gallery of Art, Artle gives players four tries to identify a mystery artist by examining pictures of four different works. The pieces come from the museum's collection of paintings, sculptures, photos, and more.
3. Crosswordle
Description: Similar to Wordle, Crosswordle uses green, yellow, and gray boxes to guide players toward the solution. However, instead of a single word, this game serves up two related words that cross over each other, similar to a crossword puzzle, with clues provided after each guess.
4. Dordle
Description: Think Wordle is too easy? Try Dordle, which features two side-by-side word boards. Players have six chances to guess both words, using the same green, yellow, and gray letter blocks to indicate correct guesses. Options include Daily Dordle and Unlimited Dordle.
5. Hello Wordl
Description: What sets Hello Wordl apart is the ability to choose the length of the secret word. Players can use a slider to increase the number of letters, ranging from four to eleven, in their daily puzzle.
6. IYKYK
Description: Named after the acronym "If You Know, You Know," IYKYK gives players the first letter and three guesses to decipher the acronym. A hint is provided after the second guess. This game can be played only once a day.
7. Nerdle
Description: Nerdle offers six chances to guess a math equation and solution, using colored boxes to provide feedback. Green indicates the number is both in the puzzle and in the right place, yellow means the number is in the puzzle but not in the right place, and gray indicates it's not part of the puzzle. New puzzles are available every eight hours.
8. Octordle
Description: For a more complex challenge, try Octordle, which gives players 13 chances to guess eight different five-letter words. Like Wordle, it uses yellow squares to indicate a letter is in the word and green squares when it’s in the right spot.
9. Phoodle
Description: Perfect for foodies, Phoodle involves guessing food-related words. Players enter letters and get five chances to solve the puzzle, with green and yellow squares providing hints. The game also offers a “Phoodle fact” with culinary insights related to the word.
10. Queerdle
Description: Queerdle’s puzzles range from four to eight characters and may include two words or proper nouns, all related to LGBTQ+ culture and community. Some words are NSFW, so be cautious when playing.
11. Quordle
Description: Quordle is an extreme version of Wordle where players guess five-letter words on four different boards simultaneously. Each guess updates all four boards, and players have nine tries to solve all the puzzles. New puzzles are released daily.
12. Semantle
Description: In Semantle, players try to identify a random word of the day with unlimited guesses. The game provides feedback on how semantically similar your guess is to the secret word, focusing on the meaning and relation of words.
13. Sweardle
Description: For those who enjoy colorful language, Sweardle involves guessing four-letter curse words and expletives. It’s not suitable for playing at work or around children.
14. Tradle
Description: Created by the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Tradle involves guessing a country based on its exports. The game provides a tree map with exports, and players receive feedback on their guesses based on proximity and direction.
15. Waffle
Description: In Waffle, all the letters to solve the puzzle are already in the grid. Players must unjumble them to guess the correct words, with green boxes indicating correct letters and yellow boxes showing letters in the wrong position. The game allows 15 swaps to guess six words.
16. Wizarding Wordle
Description: This Harry Potter-themed version of Wordle is available on MuggleNet. Each puzzle features a five-letter wizarding word like "squib" or "broom," with new puzzles every day.
17. Words With Friends
Description: The classic online word game, Words With Friends, is a virtual two-player Scrabble game. Players use provided letters to form words on the board, with the player scoring the most points winning the game. It’s available as an app.
18. Worldle
Description: Worldle tests your geography knowledge by showing a shaded map cutout and asking players to guess the country or territory. Players have six chances to correctly identify the country, with feedback on distance and direction provided after each guess.
Enjoy exploring these intriguing games, and may your puzzle-solving skills continue to sharpen!