Contrary to popular belief, the New York Times does not have the monopoly on word puzzles. If you’re looking for more daily brain games or don’t want to spend $50 on full access to NYT Games, check out these five platforms that might surprise you.
1Apple News+
If you already source your articles from Apple News, you should check out the platform’s built-in daily puzzles. This one isn’t free—you’ll need a subscription to Apple News+ to access its games. But for the price of $12.99 per month, you get far more than puzzles, including stories from over 400 international publications plus articles in audio form.
With News+, you can play a daily Crossword, Crossword Mini, and a Scrabble-like game called Quartiles. Rumor has it that Sudoku is coming to the platform soon, too.
Quartiles is only available on a device running iOS 17.5 or higher. Also, News+ puzzles are limited to US users.
Like with NYT, crossword puzzles on News+ are easiest on Mondays and gradually become harder as the week goes on. Having a manageable Crossword Mini option alongside the full-sized Crossword provides some flexibility, as you might not always have the same amount of time for gaming. But fret not: you can easily go back and play games from previous days, with access to the past month of archived puzzles.
Quartiles is a great alternative to NYT’s Spelling Bee, to which non-members only have limited access. It’s not quite the same game, but the way it involves piecing words together with available letter combinations scratches a similar itch.
Download: Apple News+ for iOS (Free, subscription available)
2Netflix
Even though Netflix has decided to ditch its interactive content, it now boasts more than 80 mobile games that you can play on an iPhone, iPad, Android, or tablet. As long as you have a Netflix membership, you have access to the platform’s extensive catalog at no additional cost.
While much of that catalog is made up of action and adventure games connected to well-known Netflix properties, the platform also offers a modest selection of puzzle games. Its crossword-style game known as Word Trails seems fit for younger players, but a soon-to-be-released puzzle called TED Tumblewords will likely capture the Wordle enthusiasts.
To access Netflix puzzles, you can browse through Mobile Games on the app or via Netflix’s website. I recommend the latter, as it breaks games down into categories so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Once you decide on a puzzle, you can download it as a standalone app.
For a more comprehensive guide, check out how to download and play Netflix games.
Download: Netflix for iOS | Android (Subscription required)
3LinkedIn
When you think of LinkedIn, words like “fun” and “games” probably don’t come to mind. Known as a professional networking platform, LinkedIn has shaken things up by offering daily word puzzles. At the time of writing, LinkedIn hosts four games: Queens, Tango, Pinpoint, and Crossclimb.
Generally speaking, Queens is a simpler version of Sudoku, using crown symbols in place of numbers, favoring spatial awareness over math. While Tango is a similarly spatial puzzle, Pinpoint is more reminiscent of a game like NYT’s Connections, where you have to guess words based on categories. Finally, Crossclimb is a streamlined twist on a crossword puzzle.
While LinkedIn may not be the most strategic place for sharing game scores, the platform does offer a completely free way to play NYT-style puzzles and track your scores.
You should be aware that, like most activity on LinkedIn, your game stats are visible to your connections.
Download: LinkedIn for iOS | Android (Free)
4Puzzmo
Owned by Hearst Newspapers, Puzzmo is a solid alternative to NYT Games. While you don’t have to pay a cent for the free website of daily puzzles from engineer Orta Therox and game designer Zach Gage, you can purchase an annual subscription to Puzzmo Plus for $39. The premium membership removes ads and allows access to exclusive games, including experimental puzzles that the platform is trying out before they go mainstream.
One highlight from Puzzmo’s collection available for free is Cross|word, a traditional crossword puzzle that appeals to a “more modern” player, as written on Puzzmo’s website. Beyond its pop culture references, Cross|word also integrates special features like the option to Play Together with a friend.
Other free Puzzmo games include the Tetris-inspired Flipart, a poker-themed Sudoku game known as Pile-Up Poker, and even Typeshift, an anagram-style word puzzle that also exists as its own app.
Similar to many other platforms, Puzzmo knows that stats are key. With a subscription to Puzzmo Plus, you can participate in leaderboards, comparing your performance to other players. You also get to customize your avatar, which is a small (but fun) detail.
At the time of writing, there’s not an app for Puzzmo. The only way to access games is on Puzzmo.com.
5Pocket Puzzles
Maybe its catalog isn’t as impressive as Puzzmo, but Pocket Puzzles is a similarly free, game-focused website for daily word puzzles. Plus, there’s an accompanying app for iOS devices.
In addition to a daily joke and fact, Pocket Puzzles posts five unique games every day: Fix the Mix, Passcodes, Four Square, String Theory, and Letterheads. Personally, I found Passcodes to be the most engaging alternative to NYT’s Connections.
In addition to the Passcodes comparison, there are a couple other perks to point out when weighing Pocket Puzzles with NYT’s word games. Most importantly, setting up a free account with Pocket Puzzles will let you track your scores. The platform also lets you play a backlog of puzzles—without paying a premium. On the other hand, there’s not a Pocket Puzzles app for Android devices (at the time of writing).
Download: Pocket Puzzles for iOS (Free)
Many titles on this ever-evolving list of word games are twists on the same core puzzles. Still, it’s those eccentricities that are unique to different game creators that can spice up your daily brain-training. The best puzzle platform for you will not only depend on what types of games you gravitate to, but also how much you care about leaderboards and pricing. In any event, I always recommend shaking things up, because breaking habits can lead to new worlds of intrigue.
