Wordle definitely took the world by storm after its launch. It was (and still is) kind of unavoidable to stumble upon the grid of gray, green, and yellow in every corner of the internet. I’m a word nerd, so I myself play Wordle religiously because it’s such a fun and easy way to get me thinking for a few minutes each day. There’s only a tiny problem with Wordle — I can’t get enough of it! There are definitely days when I finish the game and end up feeling like that Finding Nemo meme in which the fish are like “now what?”. That’s the feeling that led me down the rabbit hole that is the internet. All to find other games or apps like Wordle that you can play for free. So today, we’re going to take a look at ten Wordle alternatives that you can play every day to fuel your word nerd needs.
Just in case you aren’t familiar with the game already, we have also talked about how to play it. But for the purposes of today, I’ll assume you already play it (and want more like it). One last thing: nine out of these ten games can be played online. One is an actual app, but believe me when I tell you that it’s absolutely worth the storage space in your phone. So without further ado, let’s look at ten apps like Wordle you can play for free!
10 Apps like Wordle
Byrdle
Let’s kick things off with the game that is closest to Wordle. Byrdle has the exact same gameplay: you have six tries to guess the word of the day. But Byrdle is also a thematic game! All the words are related to choral music — including musical terms in other languages. Byrdle does have two features that Wordle doesn’t. The first is that Byrdle allows you to play past games by pressing the clock on the upper left corner. It also lets you play in hard mode, which you can toggle in the game’s settings. Plus, the creator threads all the previous answers on Twitter, adding fun facts about each word.
Why should you play Byrdle?
It’s a fun, short game that you can play for a few minutes each day in addition to other word games. It’s very similar to Wordle in how you play it, but you can also change some things like the difficulty to keep things interesting. Plus, it can be quite educational at times! Who knew what or who Zadok is? I didn’t!
SWordle
Next comes another app like Wordle that focuses on a very specific niche. So dust off your comics and grab your lightsaber, for SWordle is a word game about Star Wars! Once again, it has the same gameplay as the OG Wordle. You get six tries to guess a 5-letter word. But I’d argue that this game is harder. Not only does it include terms and characters from the comics, it also includes the names of droids — which is why this keyboard also has numbers and a dash for you to use. If it sounds like an impossible task, don’t worry. The game allows you a hint after your third guess. It also has a list with over 14k words to help you guess.
Why should you play SWordle?
It’s definitely THE word game to test your Star Wars knowledge. Plus, even if you’re not the most hardcore of fans, you can still have a blast playing it. Especially with the list of suggestions.
Small bonus time! There are also games like this but for Lord of the Rings fans and Taylor Swift fans too.
Lewdle
So what about an app like Wordle, but that focuses on profanity? Using the same colored tile system, Lewdle has you guess a five or six letter lewd word. Although if your correct guess has five letters instead of six, it takes “lewd points” away. The obscenities can go from mild — like poopy — to words that would make any sailor blush. It’s worth noting that their dictionary of naughty words, while big, absolutely does not include slurs in them. Other features about Lewdle that stand out include their hints, which reveal a single letter each guess and are called “just the tip.” And their sheltered mode, which allows players to guess non-lewd words along the more naughty ones.
Why should you play Lewdle?
It’s a super quirky and fun spin on the Wordle idea but with some added difficulty. It’s definitely a bit harder to guess words that are lewd enough for the game. But it’s also very fun to come up with those words. The overall experience is hilarious for those who have the “potty-mouth” kind of humor.
Hello Wordl
Hello Wordl is the closest game like Wordle you can find. It’s literally a remake — you have six tries to guess a word and the colored tiles track your progress. But if what you want is more chances to play Wordle on the same day, this might be your jam! You can play unlimited games each day in Hello Wordl, but it also has a few options to mix things up a bit. For starters, you can raise the difficulty level in the settings, which enforces new rules. Plus, this game also lets you choose the number of letters in the word you’re guessing. They can begin at four and go all the way up to 11-letter words.
Why should you play Hello Wordl?
This game is one of the closest alternatives to the original Wordle. It offers some more variety to keep things interesting, without losing the nerdy essence of the game. The biggest plus of Hello Wordl, though, is the option to play as many times as you want!
Quordle
Maybe you think Wordle is too simple and want more of a challenge. Let me introduce you to Quordle, that game that makes you guess four words at the same time. It at least gives you nine tries to do so, but it still makes for a very challenging game. You definitely have to pay attention to the other grids at play, lest you waste your guesses. Quordle also has a single game per day. But it also includes a practice mode, so that you can get the hang of it.
Why should you play Quordle?
This game is an adrenaline-inducing Wordle that really kicks your brain into high gear. Because you have to pay attention to all four grids at the same time, you need to think of words that might be similar enough to fit into at least two of them. The fun is definitely in the challenge, yet it still feels like a low-stakes game. Just like the original Wordle.
Octordle
Did you think Quordle was hard enough? Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Because there’s also Octordle, which lets you guess eight words simultaneously. Is it evil or genius? Probably both. It’s genuinely such a long grid that you have to scroll up and down just to see all the guesses you’ve written already. It gives you 13 tries to get all eight words, which seems like a lot (believe me, it isn’t). There are two ways to play the Octordle. You can either guess the daily puzzle, or play as much as you want with their “free” mode. Small disclaimer that both options are free: the second one is more like a practice mode, despite its name.
Why should you play Octordle?
You should definitely play this game if you want a difficult challenge. It’s not too time-consuming, which is part of the appeal of games like Wordle. You can definitely solve it (or fail it like I did) in a few spare minutes. It’s kind of difficult to keep track of the entire grid, but it gives your brain such a workout that it’s absolutely worth it.
Squareword
Now we’re moving on to games that keep the essence of Wordle but have a slightly different gameplay. What Squareword does is give you 15 guesses to solve ten words. But they’re all arranged in a grid so that you solve them both across and down — kind of like a regular crossword but in a 5×5 square. Another thing about Squareword is that when you input a word, the letters that belong to it arrange themselves correctly in the square. Those that aren’t in the right place show up in the light-colored column according to each row.
Why should you play Squareword?
It’s one of the easier games on this list. The words are more common and don’t require the mental acrobatics of some of these apps like Wordle. But it’s also a bit more challenging than the original game. Once you get the hang of the gameplay, it’s also pretty fun to see the words line up both horizontally and vertically on the grid.
Waffle
Waffle takes its name from the shape of the grid you play in! It operates with the usual colored tiles from Wordle, but with a sort of twist that makes it somehow both easier and harder at the same time. You don’t input any words into Waffle. Rather, you have to swap the letters to form six words: three on the horizontal axis and three on the vertical one. Plus, you only have 15 moves to complete the game! There’s also a hidden “secret waffle” on the website. It has a bigger grid, making things quite harder.
Why should you play Waffle?
Waffle is super easy and fun. It also switches up the game, giving you the letters already and telling you to rearrange them in a specific order. I particularly like that when you finish the puzzle, it gives you a definition and example of the words used in that day’s game. It’s educational and fun, as most nerdy word games are!
NYT Spelling Bee
The NYT Spelling Bee is a great game for word nerds, even if the gameplay is completely different to Wordle. In it, you have this hive of letters that you have to use to form words. Every word must include the middle letter, and the more words you put together, the more points you earn. But the game is not endless. There is a certain amount of words you can guess each day. And if you do, they award you the lovely title of “Queen Bee.” It looks and sounds easy, but it’s actually harder than playing Wordle.
Why should you play the NYT Spelling Bee?
This seems like an obvious choice for word nerds, and it is. It’s also on the same site as Wordle, so switching games is easy peasy. Because you have unlimited guesses to get all the words, the stakes are more low-key and you don’t feel pressured to get it right lest you have to stop playing.
Kitty Letter
Last but not least, this is the only actual app like Wordle on this list. It’s still free to download and play, though. It needed to come last, so that I can say that the gameplay is very similar to the NYT Spelling Bee. You have a grid with letters. These have certain values, so each time you use them they give you X number of points. This is a game that you can play with others through its multiplayer mode. OR you can play a story mode in which you have to defend your house from your neighbor’s cats, sending your own cats to fight them. The story mode has several levels, and the amount of letters changes depending on your progress.
Why should you play Kitty Letter?
This game is actually made by the creators of Exploding Kittens, so it has the same wry humor and fun puns of the card game. The story mode gives it another layer of fun too, considering it begins by asking you if you know what toilets and pants are. And if you want to play by yourself, that makes the whole experience more engaging. But it also shines because this is the only game on this list that allows multiplayer. And it’s always fun to play with friends.
So those are ten of the best apps like Wordle! If you’re looking for more word games, here are some amazing board games, puzzle books, and apps!
