Best “DLE” Games – Wordle Alternatives & Clones (August 2023)

If you love playing word games, there are a lot of different online puzzles that you can try out there. With Wordle being a huge viral hit, it has spawned the creation of different alternatives, including some that aren’t even word-based! We know that a lot of people who enjoy the game are looking for alternatives since Wordle only releases one puzzle per day, so here are some of our favorites…

Best DLE Games

The games below have been selected for many different reasons! We’ve tried to find as many games that twist the format enough to be unique, but are not just different for the sake of being that way. They are in no particular order, you should pick the ones that sound the most enjoyable to play for you!

NYT Connections

NYT Connections is a compelling word puzzle game where the objective is to find groups of four items that share a common trait. Players are required to select four items and submit their selections to verify if they have correctly identified the common feature. The game is won by finding all the groups without making more than three mistakes.

The common traits, or categories, among the groups can range widely. For example, a category could be “FISH,” and the corresponding group of words might include “Bass,” “Flounder,” “Salmon,” and “Trout.” In another example, the category might be “FIRE ___,” and the shared term could be a word that follows “fire” in common phrases or names, such as “Ant,” “Drill,” “Island,” and “Opal.”

It’s important to note that categories are always more specific than general terms like “5-LETTER WORDS,” “NAMES,” or “VERBS.” This rule ensures that each puzzle presents a unique challenge. Additionally, while some words might seem like they fit into multiple categories, each puzzle is designed to have exactly one solution.

As you play, each group you successfully identify will be assigned a color. This color-coding system helps players track their progress and adds an extra layer of visual satisfaction to the gameplay. The groups range from straightforward to tricky, giving a variable challenge that keeps the game interesting.

Be sure to head to our NYT Connections Answer Guide if you’re having trouble with any of the puzzles.

Contexto

If you’re looking for something that goes outside of the 5-letter word format then Contexto is a refreshing alternative. All you need to do is to find the secret word! Sounds simple enough, but you will be arriving at the solution by submitting a word and seeing its position. Use the position of that word to inform your next guess, and keep adding new words until you reach the #1 position, which is the answer you are seeking!

Be sure to head to our Contexto Answer Guide if you’re having trouble with any of the puzzles.

Squabble

If you feel you’ve mastered Wordle, Squabble, is a multiplayer battle royale type game. It has a Blitz and Squabble Royale mode. This is a great mental workout but does tend to be most fun for those who have a good vocabulary and can typically solve the daily Wordle without too much effort as Squabble requires speedy guesses and solutions.

Adoptle

If you’re a fan of furry animals, then you should check out the game that we developed that is known as Adoptle! In this Wordle-like game, you will be able to guess the name of a cat or dog that is currently available for adoption. One of the spins in this version, is that answers vary in size, but you don’t have to guess the full length of the word. You can guess a four, five, six, seven, or eight letter word depending on the length of the name! Find out the cute little fur-pal’s name and see the area in which they can be adopted after it is over!

Waffle

While it’s a delicious breakfast food, it also makes for an interesting “dle” game. In this Wordle alternative, you will be rearranging letters and attempting to make them into six different words. All of the words are connected in a waffle-like shape. Waffle is a clever take, which gives you the challenge of not only knowing words, but having to recognize patterns within the letters given. You only get 15 letter swaps, so be sure to use them wisely!

Concludle

Well, this is a bit self-serving, but we believe that the game we created known as Concludle is one of the best! It takes the Wordle concept of daily games and guessing, but adds trivia into the mix which gives a change of pace for people who aren’t as good with words. It covers many different topic types, so you will be tested on your general knowledge!

Globle

Another totally different take on Wordle is the game Globle, which will have you attempting to locate a country by making guesses and using color based clues to find the answer. This game can be quite difficult if you aren’t very familiar with geography, so you might want to boot up Google Earth to help you out because there’s a lot more countries than you might even realize!

If you enjoy Globle there’s also Worldle, which is similar but has you guessing via a silhouette and then the distance away from your guess.

Nerdle

For the mathematically inclined, there is one of the earlier alternatives known as Nerdle! Instead of guessing words, you will be attempting to solve equations by guessing numbers and arithmetic operations that compute together. You will be given clues similar to Wordle, which will show you which ones you have in the right spot or are in the puzzle. This is a fun one for players who aren’t so thrilled with words and feel more in tune with numbers!

Check out our Nerdle section for daily answers if you are struggling!

Those are all of the best Wordle alternatives that we have come across on the web! If you are ever in need of help with a Wordle puzzle, be sure to check out our Wordle Solver to get to the answer.