Everyone has heard of the New York Times Daily Games at this point. The rise of the Wordle’s popularity brought along a wave of games with a similar format, and what isn’t to love? A new level everyday means you get a fun round to look forward to and a fresh start each day. With so many companies creating their own daily games, it can become overwhelming–how could a busy college student be expected to keep a streak for every daily game out there? Luckily, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite daily games, with my absolute favorite at the end!
This list couldn’t start with anything other than the New York Times games. They have Wordle, where you have to guess the five-letter word in six tries or less; crosswords in regular, midi, and mini sizes; Connections, which has the goal of categorizing sixteen words into four groups of four words based on how they are connected; Strands, which is like a word search where you have to discover the words based on a theme; and so much more! My personal favorite is Strands, but I often find myself playing any one of these games. The biggest downside to these games is that many of them are hidden behind a paywall that even UMass Boston’s subscription to the New York Times can’t unlock for you. These are the games to reach for when you want something familiar!
If you’re looking for something like the New York Times games without the paywall, then check out the Washington Post Games! Their catalog includes both a regular and mini crossword, Sudoku, Wridges, Keyword, Half Chance, and On the Record. One cool feature of the Washington Post games is that the mini crossword has a special Sunday edition that is solved by choosing one word from each days’ solution to form a sentence aligned with a theme found in the accompanying word search. It’s certainly a bit tricky, but so rewarding when you figure it out! I like their game, On the Record the most because it helps keep you informed by asking you trivia about an article posted during the week. Washington Post allows access to the game archives and is entirely free, unlike the New York Times.
Before I discuss my absolute favorite website for daily games, I’d like to list my Honorable Mentions and the games I like best:
– 3 free crosswords per week
– Sudoku
– The Missing Letter (Crossword)
– Quordle (Wordle times 4)
– Octurdle (Wordle times 8)
– Sudoku
– Tightrope (trivia)
– Worldle (guess the country based on shape)
– Globle (guess the country based on location)
– Statele (guess the state based on shape)
– Geozee (sort nine countries into nine categories)
– Searchle (how does google autocomplete this search?)
– Murdle (murder mystery logic puzzle)
– Contexto (find the secret word based on context)
– Letroso (find the secret word based on content)
– Conexo (make four groups of four words that have something in common)
Finally, the best daily games of all can be found on Ponder Club! A wide variety of games all for free created by two friends become indie developers. The mission behind Ponder Club is to create a “positive alternative to doomscrolling” by providing a fun break to the addicting nature of the internet. You can create an account and compete with your friends or hide the timers for a more casual experience. The website has its own versions of popular games, such as “Sudogoose” instead of Sudoku! You’ll never run out of games to play with access to the archives as well as “zen mode” which lets you play the games without timers or streaks.
All of these games are fun, and I reach for each of them in different situations. The most important thing to remember is that everyone plays the games differently! Whether you’re a competitive player or casual, you’re sure to find a game you’ll love in this list!