Train Your Brain
What's your go-to opener for Wordle? Maybe you go for the classic, vowel-heavy ADIEU, or maybe you try whatever 5-letter word pops into your head. Regardless, if playing Wordle has begun to feel less like a game and more like a chore you do to compete with your friends, why not branch out into these 20 games?
Alexandra Lowenthal on Unsplash
1. Connections
Next to Wordle, Connections is the New York Times' most popular puzzle game. In case you don't already know the drill, players are provided with sixteen terms that they must sort into four categories. The categories range from easy (yellow) to arcane (purple).
The New York Times on Wikimedia
2. Strands
We promise this list won't just be NYT games, but we have to get the heavy hitters out of the way first. Strands is a word search with a twist: not only can you bend words in any direction, but you also have to guess the words yourself! Rather than providing a list of words to find, Strands gives you a theme and has you base words off that.
The New York Times on Wikimedia
3. Heardle
A game for aspiring DJs, Heardle makes players guess a song based on the first second (though turns gave you progressively longer snippets). While Heardle was technically shut down by Spotify, various copycats including artist and decade-specific variants are available. This game is a great way to discover new music.
4. Framed
If you consider yourself a cinephile, Framed is the game for you. Framed offers an assortment of movie-themed minigames where players can identify the movie from a single frame, a pixelated poster, or a titleshot. Like Heardle, this game is a great way to expand your taste.
5. Quordle
Brought to you by Merriam-Webster, Quordle is like if Wordle and Sudoku had a baby. Why solve one word at a time when you can solve four? Players who are bored or frustrated with Wordle should try their hand at this one.
6. Tightrope
Tightrope is a game by Britannica in which players have to, well, cross a tightrope. Players must answer 9 trivia questions of increasing difficulty. If you get three wrong, your character falls into the cartoon abyss. Also, this game follows crossword rules, going from easy to difficult throughout the week.
7. Sudoku
Sometimes, there's no reason to mess with the classics. In case you don't know how this game works, players must fill a 9x9 grid with numbers 1 to 9. In addition, each row, column, and subgrid must contain each number exactly once.
8. WhenTaken
WhenTaken is just the first of many geography-based games by the company Teuteuf, whom we will be seeing a lot more of. WhenTaken's name is actually a bit of a misnomer, as players must guess not only when a photo is taken given context clues but also where. With five rounds and helpful hints, this game is sure to delight.
9. WhenTaken Movies
Okay, so maybe you don't know geography, but if you know movies, WhenTaken Movies offers the same game only with cinema! Use famous faces and landmarks to your advantage and maybe you'll add something new to your watchlist.
10. GeoConnections
Unlike WhenTaken, GeoConnections is exactly what it sounds like: connections but with geography. Each category contains links between countries such as flags, foods, people, or places. Sometimes this game goes from easy to hard, otherwise all categories are ranked the same.
11. Travle
The perfect game for backseat drivers, Travle players have to find a way from one country to another...without a map! We mean this literally, as players must name every country that connects point A to B, filling in the map as they go.
12. Lewdle
Do you ever wish that Wordle was a little....raunchier? If so, you're in luck. Lewdle is an adult-only version of your fave word game solely for naughty words (though no slurs). Lewdle comes in endless and standard versions.
13. Worldle
Worldle is easier to play than to explain. Players are shown the outline of a country and must guess its indentity with helpful hints that literally point you in the right direction. Once that's guessed, there are multiple bonus rounds for neighboring countries, flags, and capital cities.
14. GeoGuessr
A classic on the puzzle game scene, GeoGuessr drops you anywhere from inside the White House to the most remote reaches of Antarctica. While you can move around enough to guess hints using Google Maps, the goal is to pinpoint exactly where you started on a map. There are even GeoGuessr savants!
15. Nerdle
While many of the games on this list are based around geography, trivia, and language, Nerdle is solely a math game. But don't let this deter you from playing. If you struggled with math in school, these logic-based math puzzles may help you get over your childhood trauma, one hidden calculation at a time.
16. The Password Game
Unlike other games on this list, The Password Game doesn't have a new game available daily. However, that's okay because this game is so frustrating it will likely take you several days to complete. This game prompts players to think of increasingly complex passwords, poking fun at online security.
17. Emovi
Emovi is a game for people who treat their emoji keyboard like ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Emovi boils cinema down to a handful of emojis, from which players must deduce the mystery movie. What does ⏰📅 🌨️🦫 mean, for example? Sound off in the comments.
18. Murdle
A body has been discovered and you need to find the culprit! Murdle is a bit like Clue only you don't need a board game to play. This classic deduction game comes with a mini Murdle to help players get the hang of things before lives are at stake.
19. Statele
A localized version of Worldle, Statele is the same game but with, you guessed it, American states and territories. A wonderful use for that elementary school geography knowledge and a way to impress friends on your next road trip!
20. Crossword
When all else fails, the daily crossword has your back. From your local paper's crossword to the NYT mini, crosswords are one of the most accessible and fun ways to challenge your brain. Just don't be surprised if you think "food warming device, four letters" when you look at your oven.
