Not every game needs to be an epic adventure for you to sink your teeth into. Sometimes, you just need a bite-sized casual game for your browser or mobile device, and that’s okay. Word games are one of the most popular choices for scratching this particular itch.
The best word games all follow a handful of different formats, but that doesn’t mean they’re not engaging. You’ll still find yourself wasting away hours on these word-based brain teasers. Sograb yourself a warm drink and settle in. Here are some of the best free word games we’ve found out there.
6Wordle
Browser
This one is a modern classic.Wordle exploded in popularityaround 2020 to 2021, and it’s still going strong. It’s currently available for freecourtesy of the New York Times, for both mobile and desktop browsers. There’s a new puzzle each day, so it’s great for a few minutes of relaxation.
You’ll have six chances to guess a five-letter word. Letters you’ve guessed perfectly will be highlighted in green, but yellow letters are just in the wrong place. Players have developed all sorts of strategies to get the lowest score possible, so join the community today.
5Wordscapes
Android and iOS
If you’ve seencountless mobile adsfor this particular game, you’re not alone. But it’s just as much fun as the ads make it out to be. It’s also one of the most relaxing mobile games we’ve found, so we definitely recommend knocking out a few levels before bedtime.
In case you’re one of the few people left on the planet who hasn’t seen one of the aforementioned ads, the gameplay for Wordscapes is pretty simple. You’re given a few letters, then are tasked to make words using those letters by drawing a line in the order you wish to place them in. It’s pretty intuitive, which is probably why the game is so popular.
4Wheel of Fortune
If you’re a fan of the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune, you should definitely check out the official licensed mobile game. The gameplay is almost an exact replica of the show’s rules, and you’re matched up with surprisingly competent NPC opponents. All the while, the exact same aesthetics and branding we’ve come to know and love are ever-present.
If we have one complaint about this game, it’s that there just isn’t much appeal for the few people left on Earth who haven’t seen the show. There’s no tutorial, as you’re expected to already know the rules of the game. Still, you can’t fault a game for knowing its target audience.
3Dordle
Dordle kicks the difficulty of Wordle up a notch by asking you to solve two words simultaneously. Sometimes getting answers right on one word will force you to waste a turn on another, forcing you to find ways to maximize your efficiency. If you’re just not feeling challenged by Wordle anymore, you should definitely give this game a try.
There are more complex variations of Wordle out there, such as the four-way puzzle that is Quordle. But we think Dordle hits the sweet spot of being difficult enough without being too frustrating. Like Wordle, there’s a new Dordle every day, so you’ll need to have a little patience.
2Wordmeister
Wordmeister is a pretty traditional Scrabble-esque word game. Like Scrabble, you’re tasked with creating words out of a set of randomly generated tiles, with each letter worth a set number of points. There are a few tweaks to the game regarding tile placement and point value, but it’s the same basic format.
What sets Wordmeister apart from the crowd is its surprisingly challenging difficulty. Opponent AI is always tricky when it comes to games, but the NPC opponents you’ll face in Wordmeister’s single-player mode will certainly keep you on your toes. All of this helps Wordmeister be a worthy challenge no matter who you’re playing with.
1Crossword Puzzle Redstone
There are many crossword puzzles out there in the world of free-to-play mobile games. Most are pretty similar in their scope; after all, there’s only so much you can do with the puzzle’s basic format. What puts the Redstone app on this list is how much it delivers in both quality and quantity.
You’ll have thousands of crossword puzzles to choose from, all with varying difficulties. And in a world increasingly plagued by AI-generated “content,” Redstone’s puzzles are one hundred percent created by humans. Unlike the hundreds of anonymous or AI-generated crossword apps out there, each puzzle in Redstone’s library has its creator’s name front and center.
