Since the viral phenomenon of Wordle, many developers have taken up the concept of word puzzle games and pushed it to new and innovative shapes. The games remain the same generic idea—guessing a hidden word based on feedback from previous attempts—but spin it differently, offering different degrees of difficulty and complexity. A rundown of some of the best-known Wordle-like games, from easy to challenging, is given below.
1. Dordle
Dordle is a fun Wordle spin that challenges players to guess two words simultaneously. Like playing Wordle, you get six chances to guess the two words, but with each guess being applicable to both words simultaneously. You get feedback on both words with every guess, and each word has its own set of feedback indicators, offering a new dimension of complexity. It’s perfect for people who find Wordle too easy and need a bit more intellectual firepower.
Difficulty: Medium
Ideal for: Gamers who require a challenge but not an overwhelming one.
2. Quordle
For players willing to take it up a notch, Quordle does just that by introducing four secret words to guess simultaneously. Like Dordle, you get feedback on each guess for all four words combined. This creates a lot of confusion but also a wonderful sense of achievement when you finally do all the words correctly. Quordle’s extra challenge comes in the form of coping with multiple words at once, which requires sharp attention to detail and deductive reasoning.
Difficulty: High
Best for: Players of word puzzles who are not afraid to push themselves to their limits.
3. Octordle
And if four words weren’t difficult enough, Octordle makes things even more challenging by requiring players to guess eight words at the same time. Having eight words to guess with merely 13 opportunities, Octordle will put even the seasoned Wordle users to the extreme test. Feedback comes for every one of these eight words concurrently, and juggling so many words requires prodigious concentration and strategy. It’s a challenge that will be testing your quick thinking and your patience.
Difficulty: Very High
Best for: Serious gamers who desire the ultimate challenge.
4. Sedecordle
If you enjoy complexity, Sedecordle could be the ultimate challenge. The game asks players to guess 16 words at a time with only 21 guesses to complete the challenge. The board can be a bit overwhelming at first look, but after that, the game is an incredibly fulfilling puzzle experience. This one’s for the true word puzzle fans who have no fear of getting lost in an ocean of letters and tries.
Difficulty: Extreme
Best for: Extreme word puzzle fans who need a huge challenge.
5. Phrazle
While Wordle has users guess a single word, Phrazle differs slightly in that users guess phrases as opposed to a single word. The test lies in finding the individual words of the phrase and how they need to be put into the right order. Both word correctness and positioning are provided as hints, but now you are dealing with a chain of longer words. Phrazle offers a refreshing respite for word puzzle fans who want something other than a simple word guess.
Difficulty: Medium to High
Best for: Players who enjoy solving phrases and multi-word puzzles.
6. Spelling Bee
Players in the Spelling Bee have a hand of seven letters from which they can create as many words as they can, as long as every word contains the middle letter. The objective is to discover the pangram—i.e., a word that employs all seven letters at least once. The game awards points to players based on how many correct words they can make, and bonus points for longer or more complex words. This is a great choice for those who enjoy word games that are not about guessing a secret word but are still satisfying in the challenge.
Difficulty: Medium
Best for: Word users who like making words out of given letters.
7. Contexto
Contexto is a fascinating word puzzle that requires players to guess a hidden word according to its contextual association with prior guesses. Rather than the usual kind of feedback on correct or incorrect letters, the game gives a “context” score, indicating how much your guess aligns with the hidden word in terms of meaning or association. It is a word association game and Wordle combined, packaged in an entirely different way to tackle the puzzle. Contexto requires a well-developed vocabulary and an understanding of how words co-relate with each other.
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Ideal for: Word association and more conceptually inclined brains.
Conclusion
Though Wordle may have started it all, these Wordle games demonstrate that there are multiple ways to play word games. If you enjoy the simplicity of Dordle or the mind-bending complexity of Sedecordle, there’s a game out there for every puzzle player’s delight. All of these games spin the classic word-guessing paradigm in some unique way, so regardless of how proficient you become, there’s always something fresh ahead for you—puzzling good wishes!
