Talking about puzzle games, there are many games in this genre available on the web, and out of all, word puzzle games have established their own identity. Games like Waffle2 and Blossom bring unique challenges for players. These games are loved because they involve not only problem-solving but also strategic thinking and word formation.
Although there are countless word puzzle games available on the internet, we researched them and brought the best five that are unique, challenging, and entertaining.
Well, let’s begin exploring this list and find out how these games are different. We will also talk about why a new entrant, Waffle2, made it to this list.
Waffle2
This game is as simple and unique as the Waffle game, but with a twist: the game retains the colors and grid of the original Waffle game, but the hardness level and choice of words are different.
In addition, players can use hints & undo moves if they are stuck in the game. The undo button helps them cancel the last move, and the swap Hint helps to swap two letters and reveal the correct place of at least one letter.
Apart from these, the game has a smooth and minimalist user interface; grid edges are round, colors are soothing, and tiles feel as if they are 3D. With all such new and enhanced features, Waffle2 is all set to become the best alternative to the Waffle word puzzle.
Also read- 5 Games Like Wordle to Play in 2025
Strands
Strands is a famous word puzzle game owned by the New York Times. The game is quite similar to word search-type games. The gameplay involves finding a set of words based on a theme in a grid every day.
In the game, you can spot words forwards, backwards, vertically, and horizontally. Moreover, words can also be spotted in the shape of an “L” or zigzag pattern. The game mechanics are quite simple; you need to click on the first letter of a word and drag your finger through other letters to create that word.
Unlike other word puzzle games, in Strands, every letter of the grid is used to create different words, and the game is not finished if some letters are still present in the grid.
If you desire to play this game, you must have a New York Times subscription, which costs $1 a week.
Octordle
Octordle is another trending puzzle game of 2025. It is similar to the Waffle game and Waffle2, but you will witness a significant increase in complexity.
The gameplay requires guessing eight five-letter words in 13 tries. The game provides color-based feedback (green, yellow, or gray) on each guess or swap. It helps players learn the position of the tiles.
Octordle has many variations, like Classic, Sequence, and Rescue modes. Each of these modes has different rules and challenges.
This game is a must-try for puzzle lovers who love playing the Daily Waffle and want something similar yet challenging.
Antiwordle
As its name suggests, Antiwordle is a word puzzle game that is exactly opposite to Wordle. In Wordle, you have to guess the word of the day in a limited number of tries; in contrast, Antiwordle discourages or delays you from guessing the word.
The game has different colors for cues than Wordle; in Antiwordle, letters turn gray, yellow, or red. Gray means the letter isn’t part of that particular word, yellow means the letter is in the wrong place, and red indicates the letter is in the correct place.
If you successfully use all the letters of the keyboard without getting the correct word, you win. Isn’t it interesting! This weirdness makes the game so addictive, challenging, and tough to win as compared to Wordle.
Blossom
Merriam-Webster is known for its dictionary and thesaurus, and they brought something different than these, a daily word game called Blossom.
Well, Blossom is different from Waffle2 and Wordle-like games; it closely resembles Spelling Bee by The New York Times. The game features the arrangement of letters in the shape of a flower, with one letter in the center and others on petals.
The gameplay involves forming words using a set of letters and keeping the central letter in all words. The goal of the game is to create 12 valid words; the longer the word, the more points. You must form at least four-letter-long words and must include the center letter in each word.
Why Waffle2 belong in the list of top 5 word puzzle games in 2025
You may have noticed that out of all 5 puzzle games we discussed, all were quite different from Waffle or Wordle, but only Waffle2 closely resembled them. Therefore, the question arises: was it necessary to keep it on the list of the top 5 games?
Well, as we mentioned earlier, it may resemble or might feel similar to Waffle, but it is quite different in appearance and hardness. Moreover, you get hints if you get stuck at some point.
Since its launch, puzzle lovers have shown great enthusiasm for this game, as they wanted something similar to the original Waffle game but with some unique features.