I am wholeheartedly a word game nerd. I love them. I’m still playing Wordle over a year since I started, and my family’s group chat is still going strong. Recently, on vacation, I heard my mom finish the New York Times mini crossword from the other side of the hotel room by the sound alone. We’re word game people! Hence the need to find the best word game apps 2023 has to offer.
These games are fun and challenging, despite how simple some of them seem, and they’re a great way to work on your ability to focus in this notification and swiping-centered digital world. Word games can help your focus, your working memory, and your cognitive function!
Word games aren’t easy to do while distracted, either. When you’re playing them, you usually have to put in a bit of mental effort. A study put on by the University of Exeter and King’s College London revealed “the more regularly adults aged 50 and over played puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the better their brain function.”
And listen, not every hobby has to be for the benefit of anything except your own enjoyment. You can play Wheel of Fortune without having a self-improvement motive. You can play Contexto just for funsies and to see if you’ll get it faster than your friends. They are games, after all! You should enjoy them!
If you’re looking for some new word games to try, check out these 10 best word game apps 2023 has to offer.
The Best Word Game Apps of 2023
1. Word Association! (iOS) Cost: Free with In-App Purchases
Each level, you’ll be given a screen of seemingly random words, and your job is to pair them up. Sometimes, the pair is based on opposites (hot and cold, for example), other times they’re synonyms or just thematically go together. You’ll be rated by how quickly you finish and, once you do, the next puzzle unlocks. The first two starter packs are free, then the additional packs are paid.
2. Wheel of Fortune: Show Puzzles (iOS, Android), Cost: Free with In-App Purchases
Like the show we all know and love, Wheel of Fortune is a fill-in-the-blank word guessing game where spins earn you letters and the money to buy vowels to help you decode the puzzle. With each win, you earn diamonds that you can redeem to re-try a bonus level (or you can buy them). With thousands of puzzles, this game will keep you busy for a long time. Keep in mind, each level costs a ticket to play, and it takes time to accumulate more. There is an option to purchase some if you’re so inclined, but the base game is free with some patience.
3. Contexto (Browser), Cost: Free
Contexo is a little bit hard to explain, but stay with me. Each day, a word is selected by the app and you have to figure out what it is by guessing other words. With each guess, the app tells you how related your guess is to the mystery word. This one can be super frustrating as it requires some lateral thinking, but it’s really fun once you catch on.
4. Knotwords (iOS, Android), Cost: Free with In-App Purchases
This is sort of a sudoku for word puzzles. In each puzzle, a crossword-looking layout. In the top right of some of the boxes are the letters you can work with within that unit. As you fill in letters, each row and column must make a real word. With free daily mini and classic and monthly puzzle books, you’ll have plenty to challenge yourself. If you happen to want more, there are additional ones for a price.
5. Dingbats (iOS, Android), Cost: Free with In-App Purchases
Dingbats is an app full of visual word puzzles that make you feel so clever once you catch on. Each level has a different puzzle to figure out, and you earn trophy points, hints, and coins with each right answer. With the coins you earn, you can stylize your app with pretty backgrounds. And, if you’re low on coins, you can watch ads or buy bundles of them to increase your stash. Over 600 puzzles are free and then you can use your trophy points to unlock more!
6. Letter Rooms (iOS), Cost: Free with In-App Purchases
This visually stunning game is simple. Each level will give you a clue and the letters you need to rearrange to solve it. You can pick general puzzles for anyone or a kids’ setting if you want to engage your kiddo. The first 40 levels are free, and then it’s $1.99 to unlock the rest of the game. The puzzles do get harder as you go, so don’t be deceived by the first few.
7. Figgerits (iOS, Android), Cost: Free
In this word game, you’re given a coded phrase that you’ll have to solve word definitions to decode. With each word you solve, you unlock bits of the phrase until you can solve it entirely. If at any point what you have is enough, don’t worry about finishing the word clues and jump right to the phrase at the top! Each level has a few on one theme, like anatomy or proverbs. The app is free, though you can pay to get rid of ads if you like.
8. Word Lanes (iOS), Cost: Free
If you want a more slow-paced game with beautiful backgrounds, check out Word Lanes. You’re given scrambled letters and different clues you have to create words out of the scrambled set to match. With coins you earn, you can buy hints in case you get stuck. Every time you complete a chapter, you unlock a new setting to admire. You can also change the difficulty level depending on what you’re feeling!
9. Wordgraphy (iOS), Cost: Free
In this game, you’re given a grid with four words, but they’re scrambled around. Each letter of the scrambled words has a match or multiple matches you can swap to create the correct missing words. Once you complete a word, it will turn pink so you know you’ve got some of the letters in the right place. There are daily puzzles and 4×4, 5×5, and 6×6 grids to test your limits.
10. Wordle (Browser), Cost: Free
I couldn’t leave out Wordle! In this game, you’re given a grid with four words, but they’re scrambled around. Each letter of the scrambled words has a match or multiple matches you can swap to create the correct missing words. Once you complete a word, it will turn pink so you know you’ve got some of the letters in the right place. There are daily puzzles and 4×4, 5×5, and 6×6 grids to test your limits.
I hope one of these word game apps keeps you entertained this year! If you’re in the mood for more word games, check out our 2021 and 2022 lists!