Finished Today’s Wordle? Here Are 7 Focused Puzzles and Games That Are Just As Satisfying
Two days after we published this story, The New York Times (our parent company) announced it was acquiring Wordle. Our advice on delightful and calming puzzles and games that Wordle fans might enjoy still stands!
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of people playing Wordle, your day starts (or ends) with the deceptively simple word puzzle, which gives players only six chances to correctly guess a five-letter word. And when you’re finished, you’re not just done with the puzzle—you’re done for the day, until the next Wordle is released and the ritual begins again.
Wordle is a rare phenomenon in the age of ever-churning entertainment, a game that you want to savor, that gives you permission to slow down. Author and journalist Anne Helen Petersen said it best: “Wordle, much like a puzzle or crossword, offers a moment of restoration. The mind is active but calm; I choose to start it, and then it ends.”
Few other pastimes possess the same calming qualities as Wordle—but if you’re chasing that untethered feeling of serenity, the best way to find it is to unplug. Hands-on projects can give you the chance to really think through each move without the intrusion of flashing graphics and never-ending ads. Here are the puzzles and projects we recommend for anyone looking to slow down and re-create that blissful Wordle feeling.
This challenging puzzle, recommended by author Roxane Gay, might be frustrating, but she still found the process of piecing it together relaxing.
Buying Options
This 3D puzzle, made of recycled-cardboard pieces that stand about a foot tall when assembled, is a fun way to introduce children to engineering and STEM concepts at an early age.
Buying Options
Beloved by many Wirecutter staffers, the Charley Harper jigsaws turn Harper’s vibrant art into beautiful puzzles. Though most of these puzzles have 1,000 pieces, they still feel soothing to assemble thanks to Harper’s clean, geometric shapes.
This company turns work from emerging and contemporary artists into beautiful, 1,000-piece puzzles worthy of wall space after you’ve pieced them together. As a bonus, each box features a Q and A with the artist, too.
Buying Options
Great for creative kiddos, this delightful 174-piece Lego set includes instructions for building three different dinosaurs.
Buying Options
AFOL—that’s Adult Fans of Lego—with a penchant for Nintendo nostalgia will get a kick out of piecing together this replica relic of the ’80s.
This 962-piece Lego set might feel like a challenge to assemble, but the end result will be something you display on your bookshelf for years to come.
Buying Options
May be out of stock