The best games like Wordle are the other free daily puzzles from The New York Times, Connections, Strands and Pips, followed by fan-made spin-offs like Quordle and Worldle. Each gives everyone the same puzzle once a day, takes a few minutes, and ends with a result you can share. The NYT’s crosswords, Letter Boxed and Tiles need a subscription, and Spelling Bee is only partly free.
What makes a game “like Wordle”? #
Wordle was created by Josh Wardle, who released it to the public in October 2021, and The New York Times bought it on January 31, 2022, according to Wikipedia’s Wordle history. Its formula is what everyone has copied since:
- One puzzle a day, the same for everyone.
- A few minutes to play, with a natural end.
- A shareable result that doesn’t spoil the answer.
- A streak that rewards coming back tomorrow.
- Free to play.
The best daily puzzle games like Wordle #
| Game | What you do | Cost | Where to play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wordle | Guess a five-letter word in six tries | Free | NYT Games app and website |
| Connections | Sort 16 words into four hidden groups | Free | NYT Games |
| Strands | Find themed words in a letter grid | Free | NYT Games |
| Pips | A daily logic puzzle, launched in 2025 | Free | NYT Games |
| Spelling Bee | Make words from seven letters | Free to start, subscription past a certain rank | NYT Games |
| Sudoku | Classic number placement | First difficulty free | NYT Games |
| Crossword, Mini, Midi | Crosswords in three sizes | Subscription | NYT Games |
| Letter Boxed, Tiles | Word chains and pattern matching | Subscription | NYT Games |
| Quordle | Solve four Wordles at once | Free | Browser |
| Worldle | Guess a country from its outline | Free | Browser |
| Poeltl | Guess an NBA player | Free | Browser |
| Apple News+ puzzles | Daily mini and full-size crosswords | $12.99 a month | Apple News app |
The NYT details come from Wikipedia’s New York Times Games entry. The Times has moved games behind its subscription over time, with the Mini and Tiles going paid in 2025, so check the app for what’s free today.
Word games #
Wordle #
The original. Six guesses, five letters, green for right letter and right place, yellow for right letter and wrong place. It’s still free, still one puzzle a day, and still the one your group chat compares.
Connections #
Sixteen words, four hidden groups of four. It launched in 2023 and is often harder than Wordle, because the categories are designed to overlap. The trickiest group usually involves wordplay, such as words that hide another word.
Strands #
A grid of letters hiding a set of words on a theme, plus one “spangram” that spans the board and names the theme. It’s slower and calmer than Wordle, good for a coffee rather than a queue.
Spelling Bee #
Seven letters in a honeycomb. Make as many words as you can, always using the center letter. You can play free up to a certain rank, and a subscription opens the rest.
Quordle #
Four Wordles at once with nine guesses. Merriam-Webster bought it in 2023. It’s the pick for people who find Wordle too quick.
Logic and number puzzles #
Pips #
The newest free NYT puzzle, added in August 2025. If you like logic puzzles more than word games, it’s the one to try.
Sudoku #
The NYT offers daily Sudoku at several difficulties, with the first level free. Any good Sudoku app works too, but the daily format keeps it to one puzzle.
Geography, sports and more #
Worldle #
You get the outline of a country and six guesses, with hints about direction and distance after each one. It’s a surprisingly good way to learn a map.
Poeltl #
A Wordle-style guessing game for NBA players, with clues about team, position, height and more. Other fan-made “-dle” games cover films, music and nearly every hobby, though many come and go.
Crosswords #
The NYT’s daily crossword, the smaller Mini and the in-between Midi, added in February 2026, all need a Games subscription. Apple News+ includes daily mini and full-size crosswords for subscribers, which is worth knowing if you already pay for it.
How to keep a daily puzzle streak without it running your day #
- Play at the same time each day. Tying it to coffee or a commute makes the habit automatic.
- Sign in. NYT Games stats follow your account, so a new phone doesn’t wipe your streak.
- Try hard mode in Wordle once the regular game feels easy. Any letter you reveal must be used in later guesses.
- Don’t look up answers. A streak built on searches stops being fun quickly.
- Let it go if it turns into stress. A streak is a nice record, not an obligation. If missing a day ruins your morning, it’s worth breaking on purpose once.
That last point is the whole reason daily puzzles are a good habit. They have a built-in end. Most other games are designed to keep you playing, which we look at in why mobile games are so addictive.
What to play once today’s puzzles are done #
Daily puzzles stop when they’re finished, and that’s part of their charm. If you still have a few minutes, a quick arcade game is a different kind of break. Flappy Kittens, a free one-tap game where you fly a kitten through gaps, fills a coffee break with runs that last seconds, though it has no built-in stopping point, so set your own. Our list of quick mobile games for short breaks has more, and our easy mobile games for beginners suits anyone new to games beyond Wordle.
Frequently asked questions #
Is Wordle still free? #
Yes. Wordle doesn’t need a subscription. You can play it in the NYT Games app or on the New York Times website.
Which New York Times games are free? #
Wordle, Connections, Strands and Pips are free, along with part of Spelling Bee and the first level of Sudoku. The crosswords, Letter Boxed and Tiles need a Games subscription.
Is there a Wordle app? #
Yes. The official NYT Games app on iPhone and Android includes Wordle, Connections, Strands and the rest of the Times’ puzzles.
What’s the hardest daily puzzle? #
It depends on your brain. Many people find Connections harder than Wordle, because its groups are designed to mislead, and Quordle is harder simply because there are four words to solve.
Can I play Wordle more than once a day? #
The official Wordle has one puzzle a day. Fan-made variants and unlimited clones let you keep playing, and Absurdle is a version that changes the answer to dodge your guesses.