Word games and word puzzles can be a great test of both vocabulary and logic. There are many traditional word games like hangman and crosswords that are still popular today. At the same time, there are many new word games that have been introduced through viral sites and apps. Below are 10 of the most popular and fun word games/puzzles that you should try.
Scrabble is a board game that was first introduced to the US and Canada in 1938. Each player draws seven letter tiles from a bag and must then compete to create words using these letters, joining them to existing words already on the board. Each letter has a different value, and there are certain squares on the board that can double/triple the value of a letter or word. The aim is to get the highest score – usually playing until all the tiles have been drawn from the bag and no more tiles can be placed on the board. On top of being playable as a physical board game, scrabble can be played via an app and on the official Scrabble website.
Lexicon is a vintage UK card game using a deck of cards with letters on. It’s a mixture of scrabble and gin rummy – each card has a letter with a value on it and you must try to get rid of all the cards in your hand as fast as you can by forming words. The aim is to be left with the lowest scoring hand as possible. The value of the cards left in each player’s hand are added up at the end of each round, and after playing several rounds the winner is the player with the lowest score. You can buy a deck of Lexicon cards online.
Hangman is a traditional pen-and-pencil word game in which players must try to guess a word by filling in the blanks. Players can guess the whole word or guess a letter. Every incorrect guess results in part of the hangman being drawn. If the hangman is fully drawn before players guess the word, then they lose. This guide explains in detail how to play hangman.
Wordle is a US web-based word game that became viral in 2021. Players have six tries to guess a five letter word. Every time a correct letter is guessed in the correct place it appears green. Every time a correct letter is guessed in the wrong place, it appears yellow. A number of variants have since been created including Sweardle and Absurdle.
This British game show challenges players to come up with the longest word possible in 30 seconds using a random selection of letters. Players choose how many vowels and consonants they want at the beginning of each round and the timer starts as soon as the last letter is chosen. You can play a web-based version of Countdown online, which also includes the Countdown conundrum feature.
Wordscapes is a popular word puzzle app that challenges players to create words by connecting letters in a circle. These words are filled out on a crossword-like grid. With rounds gradually becoming more difficult. Scenic landscape backgrounds and calming music makes this a very soothing but still challenging word game.
SpellTower is a popular word app game that challenges players to quickly create words from a jumble of letter tiles that slowly refills. Think Scrabble meets Tetris! Unlike Wordscapes, this is a much more high pressure word game where fast reactions make a difference.
Typeshift is another game produced by the creator of SpellTower. It’s an anagram-solver app game that requires players to ‘unlock’ words by shifting columns up and down (like picking a lock). This unique puzzle solving mechanism helps this game stand out from other word game apps.
Possibly one of the most iconic pen-and-paper word puzzles is the word search. Word search puzzles challenge players to create words using grids of letters. Words can be formed horizontally, vertically or diagonally – and in some cases backwards. There are digital word search games that can allow you to solve these puzzles online.
Crosswords are another traditional word puzzle that are still regularly printed in puzzle books and newspapers. Crosswords challenge you to guess words on a grid using hints. As with word searches, it’s now possible to play crosswords online via a variety of websites and apps. This includes several unique takes on crosswords.
