Top Puzzle Games Like ‘Connections’– Fun Meets Mental Challenge

If you’ve been spending your mornings trying to crack Connections, you’re definitely not alone. This clever word puzzle from The New York Times has become a daily brain teaser for millions, challenging players to group words by hidden links and logic. It’s fun, frustrating, and wildly satisfying, especially when you hit that perfect “aha!” moment.

With its clever format and daily mental challenge, Connections became an instant favorite. And with puzzle games expected to generate more than $3.02 billion by 2025, it’s clear this genre isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

If you have an idea for a game like Connections, now is the perfect time to bring it to life by partnering with a reliable game app development company and making your mark in this booming genre.

If you’re hooked on the thrill of connecting ideas, spotting patterns, or racing against time to solve a clever grid, we’ve rounded up the best games like Connections for you in this blog that will push your logic, vocabulary, and problem-solving skills to new limits.

So let’s get started!

Top 20 Games Like Connections to Challenge Your Brain

If you’re exploring games like Connections, each of the titles below offers a unique twist on brain-teasing fun. Let’s walk through them to find the one that suits your style.

Spelling Bee

If you’re looking for excellent word games such as Connections, Spelling Bee is well worth a look. The idea here is straightforward but addictive: form as many words as you can from the seven provided letters. The twist? Each word must contain the middle letter, and the longer and more complicated the word, the greater your score.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Provides daily challenges to challenge your brain
• Promotes good-natured competition 
• Easy enough for beginners, but difficult enough to have masters returning

Pros

• Excellent for building vocabulary
• Harmless and enjoyable daily challenges
• Fast, simple play for everyone

Cons

• It could be too simple if you’re a word master
• Some people may find it repetitive in the long run
• Newbies may find some words frustrating

Slither Link 

From the word puzzles, Slitherlink seemed to offer a completely different experience for the logic fan: a continuous loop around a grid, using clues about how many lines surround every cell instead of words.

What’s the objective? Well, to create a single unbroken loop without crossing or branching off. Sounds simple? Those varying levels of difficulty will put your patience and problem-solving abilities to the test.

It’s a great brain exercise that’s simple to learn but tough enough to engage you. And it’s good for all ages, with you being able to play it in short sessions anytime you please.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Develops robust logical reasoning and thinking skills
• Delivers puzzles from easy right up to extremely difficult
• No time limits, so you can solve as you please
• Ideal for intensive brain training and mental relaxation

Pros

• Challenging the brain with challenging logic puzzles
• Several levels of difficulty for beginners and experts alike
• Easy rules for quick learning

Cons

• It may be tricky for beginners initially.
• Long and challenging puzzles need patience and concentration.
• Some solutions may be complicated and need trial and error.r

Dordle

Dordle adds a smart twist to the Wordle concept by challenging participants to guess two five-letter words simultaneously, all within a mere six attempts. Each attempt provides double feedback in the form of color-coded tiles, enabling you to crack both words at once.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Guess two words at once with shared guesses.
• Strategic, high-difficulty wordplay
• Color-coded letter feedback
• Great for daily mental training

Pros

• Excellent for sharp thinkers and puzzle veterans
• A new twist on Wordle that doesn’t get old
• Daily puzzles make it a daily habit.

Cons

• It can feel overwhelming for beginners
• Still limited to five-letter words

Wordle 

In terms of games such as Connections, Wordle is at the top. With its minimalist looks and diabolically elegant mechanics, Wordle has become a worldwide phenomenon among word game fans who crave a daily mental exercise.

You have one five-letter word to solve every day within six chances. After each attempt, color-coded clues lead to your next step:

• Green: Correct letter, correct position
• Yellow: Right letter, wrong position
• Gray: Letter out of word

This minimal feedback system makes it engaging, challenging players to use logic, memory, and a little strategy.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Simple to learn, difficult to master
• Excellent for vocabulary and quick-thinking skills building
• Can be played offline, with no distractions or ads
• Can be played in a few minutes

Pros

• Extremely easy to learn with an intuitive, easy-to-use design
• Provides a new word puzzle daily to keep you engaged
• Ideal for learning vocabulary and spelling abilities

Cons

• Only one puzzle per day, which could be restrictive for some players
• No diversity of game modes or formats
• It can become monotonous if you’re hungry for several rounds in one session.

Semantle

Semantle flips classical word games upside down by concentrating on semantic similarity rather than spelling. Instead of trying to guess letter placement, you enter whole words and are given clues on how “close in meaning” your guess is to the target word.

It’s a deep-thinking game that rewards a broad vocabulary and abstract reasoning. If you’re tired of spelling-based formats and want something truly brainy, Semantle delivers a unique and refreshing mental workout.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Unique gameplay based on word meanings
• Offers warm/cold-style clues based on semantic similarity
• Improves comprehension and critical thinking
• No spelling feedback—just deeper thinking

Pros

• Excellent for vocabulary expansion
• Offers a fresh, less predictable experience
• Promotes creativity and lateral thinking

Cons

• It can be challenging for regular word game players
• Doesn’t offer letter-by-letter hints

Wordscapes Search

Wordscapes Search blends the beauty of traditional word searches with clever clue-cracking and grid-filling fun. You play by solving themed puzzles by searching for secret words and linking them together with a swipe. Some even put you to the challenge of crossword-style clues, turning it more than just a search.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Word search and crossword clues combined
• Topics range widely, such as pop culture, science, history, and more.
• Improves memory, vocabulary, and concentration
• Ideal for single or multiplayer play

Pros:

• Fun for every age group
• Boosts word vocabulary in a low-pressure environment
• Very easy to play every day or on the move

Cons

• Certain puzzles can be based on specialized knowledge.
• Difficulty can fluctuate from level to level.

Boggle With Friends

Boggle With Friends brings a traditional word search puzzle to your screen. You compete against a ticking clock to discover as many words as you can in a 4×4 grid of letters. You link together adjacent letters in any direction, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, to create acceptable words.

Time-based pressure makes every round exciting. Whether you play individually or with friends, the game keeps you alert. 

Why You’ll Love It:

• 3-minute word search challenges
• Plainly or with friends in real-time.
• Enhances spelling, speed, and visual scanning
• Competitive and interactive gameplay

Pros:

• Excellent for quick thinking
• Interesting with friends or individually
• Easy to learn and play

Cons:

• Overwhelming under time pressure
• It may feel repetitive with continuous play
• It may be too difficult for young players

Typeshift

Typeshift transforms word games with an innovative spin. Rather than typing out guesses or linking letters, players move columns up and down to create words in the middle row. Every puzzle is designed with a selection of letters that can spell out several good words.

Key Features:

• Merges sliding puzzle and word game elements
• Fresh daily puzzles to solve
• Improves spelling, strategy, and word association
• Sleek, easy-to-use interface

Pros:

• Innovative and strategic gameplay
• Improves word-building abilities
• Fresh daily challenges
• Educational and enjoyable

Cons:

• High learning curve for new players
• Demands abstract thought
• Certain levels are lengthy.

Sudoku

Sudoku is a classic puzzle game based on logic, numbers, and patience. Played on a 9×9 board, the goal is to fill each row, column, and 3×3 box with numbers 1 to 9, without repeats.

No guessing is involved; each number is logically assigned according to the clues. With several levels of difficulty, players can begin with simple ones and gradually move on to more challenging ones.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Pure puzzle based on logic
• Easy to expert levels
• Enhances concentration and mental quickness
• No internet needed, ideal for offline.

Pros:

• Trains thinking logically
• Appropriate for all levels
• Excellent brain exercise
• Can be played anywhere, anytime

Cons:

• It can be challenging for newbies
• Requires focused attention for long periods
• Can become repetitive to some

Hangman

Hangman is an age-old word-guessing game that couples vocabulary with tension. Two or more players attempt to discover a concealed word by guessing letters one letter at a time. Every wrong guess adds a limb to a stick-figure drawing, and once the figure is complete, it’s over.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Traditional word-guessing structure
• Improves vocabulary, spelling, and inferential thinking
• Play as an individual or with companions.
• Interactive and informative

Pros:

• Simple to play and set up
• Great for language acquisition
• Entertaining to all age groups
• Portable and can be played anywhere

Cons:

• Can be repetitive
• Limited difficulty for experienced players

Red Herring 

If you enjoy puzzles that challenge you to consider word patterns and connections, Red Herring will be an instant favorite. The game shows you a list of connected words, except for one word that doesn’t fit. Your task is to identify the “red herring,” the word that disrupts the pattern.

This game sharpens your pattern recognition and vocabulary skills while offering a daily fresh challenge. 

Why You’ll Love It:

• Improves your pattern recognition and word association skills
• New daily puzzles keep the game fresh and exciting
• Suitable for all ages and skill levels
• Easy to understand with a clean and user-friendly design

Pros

• Simple and intuitive gameplay
• There’s always a new challenge to come back for
• Entertaining for the entire family

Cons

• Too easy for experts
• Some of the puzzles become repetitive over time
• It may help beginners with more hints

Just Jumble

Just Jumble is a brain-teasing word puzzle game where players unscramble letters to form meaningful words. It blends logic, word recognition, and a touch of lateral thinking, all wrapped in a colorful and engaging interface. With hundreds of levels and quirky cartoon-style hints, the game keeps things both challenging and fun.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Unscramble the letters to get the accurate word.
• Contains visual tips and puzzles
• Enhances vocabulary and mental speed
• Has both brief and long gameplay sessions

Pros:

• Easy to play and learn
• Ideal for vocabulary improvement
• Brief, fast gameplay
• Fun alone or with friends

Cons:

• It may be too simple for word masters
• Can become repetitive after a while
• Time limits could make it stressful.

Word Search

Word Search is a timeless classic in which players search a grid of letters for concealed words. Words can go any direction, up, down, across, and diagonally, so each puzzle is a test of concentration and speed.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Word search puzzle on a grid basis
• Themed categories with difficulty levels
• Improves vocabulary and visual acuity
• Single-player or multiplayer

Pros:

• Simple to play and deploy
• Good for vocabulary building
• May be played at any time
• Accessed in various formats and themes

Cons:

• Too easy for skilled players
• May become monotonous
• Restricted to word-based play

Minesweeper

Minesweeper is a logic puzzle game where you have to expose safe tiles and not the unseen mines. As a tile is exposed, it shows a number representing how many mines surround that tile. Your job? Utilize the information to clear the board tactically without detonating a mine.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Grid-based logic puzzle
• Promotes strategic thinking and critical thinking
• Easy mechanics, but very difficult
• Accessible on multiple devices and platforms

Pros:

• Excellent for sharpening logic
• Easy rules, easy to play
• Offers a challenge for all levels
• Addictive game

Cons:

• It can be frustrating when you strike a mine
• It may get repetitive after some time
• Requires patience and strategy

Tetris

Tetris is a classic puzzle game where players rotate and drop falling blocks to complete lines within a grid. When a line is filled, it disappears, but if pieces don’t fit, the stack grows higher. It’s a perfect mix of fun and challenge for both casual and competitive players.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Classic block-stacking puzzle
• Improves spatial thinking and fast thinking
• Easy to learn, difficult to master
• Single-player and multiplayer modes

Pros:

• Fun and challenging
• Simple to learn and play
• Improves spatial reasoning
• Suitable for all ages

Cons:

• Can get too quick at higher levels
• Can be too repetitive after extended playing sessions
• It can become frustrating under pressure

4 Pics 1 Word

Your task in 4 Pics 1 Word is to identify the word that appears in each of the four photographs.  Strong vocabulary and association abilities are needed for this entertaining, visually stimulating take on classic word games.

Why You’ll Love It:

•  Word association visual puzzle game
•  increases logical reasoning and vocabulary
•  Every day, riddles and increasing difficulty
•  Perfect for quick play sessions

Pros:

• Encourages original thought
•  Pictures that are engaging and entertaining
•  Easy to play but challenging to master
•  Perfect for all age groups

 Cons:

•  It will soon become the norm.
•  Certain puzzles are overly easy or unclear.
•  Highly image-dependent, which might not be to everyone’s taste

Knotwords

Knotwords is a new take on crosswords. Each puzzle presents you with a grid and a list of letters for each area, Your job is to figure out where the letters go. It’s deduction, experimentation, and wordsmanship.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Crossword logic with a minimalist aesthetic
• Emphasizes word composition and spatial perception
• Features daily and monthly puzzle sets
• Offline play is supported.

Pros:

• Rich, rewarding puzzle mechanics
• Relaxing, non-timed gameplay
• Ideal for vocabulary building
• Stunning, easy-to-use design

Cons:

• Difficult puzzles are difficult to solve without hints.
• Limited number of puzzles on the free version

WordBrain

WordBrain dares you to swipe and discover buried words on a grid, growing more challenging as you progress through levels. The catch? You need to discover all the right words in the correct sequence.

It’s intellectually challenging and ideal for word game enthusiasts of strategic games such as Connections, where determining the “right” relationships is crucial.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Word search puzzle with a twist
• Levels increase in difficulty and complexity.
• Trains pattern recognition and logic
• 1000s of puzzles in various themes

Pros:

• Extremely challenging and rewarding
• Excellent brain training
• Offline play is supported.
• Extensive puzzle variety

Cons:

• Can become frustrating and hard
• Hints are limited unless paid for
• Order-based puzzles may be limiting.

Bonza Word Puzzle

Bonza is an innovative word game that involves a crossword, trivia, and word searching. You’re presented with fragments of a puzzle and a hint, and must piece the puzzle together to create words that are connected.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Blends word games with jigsaw puzzles
• Theme-based challenges and daily puzzles
• Involves vocabulary and lateral thinking
• Sleek and minimalist design

Pros:

• New gameplay style
• Themed puzzles make it interesting.
• Excellent brain exercise
• Fosters word association

Cons:

• Limited number of free puzzles
• It may be too slow-paced for others
• It can be difficult without explicit hints

Alphabear

Alphabear is a fun word puzzle where choosing nearby letters to spell words makes your cute bear grow. The longer the word, the bigger the bear—and your score!

It’s an artistic mix of word building and strategy, ideal for players who enjoy making word connections and scoring the most points.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Word game of letter chaining
• Has power-ups and collectible bears
• Punishes strategy and long words
• Spectacularly cartoon-styled fun

Pros:

• Cute and playful design
• Promotes creativity with word building
• Blending of fun and learning
• Brings a fresh twist to word puzzles

Cons:

• It may be too informal for die-hard puzzlers
• In-game advertising and energy system
• Some may find it a tad gimmicky

Develop a Game Like Connections with TekRevol

If you want to create a word or puzzle game that engages players as much as Connections, TekRevol is your partner. We’re experts at taking innovative ideas for games and making them engaging digital experiences. 

Whatever you have in mind for a simple 2D game or a complicated 3D title, our team of professionals develops and designs the game with you to create one that’s exciting, user-friendly, and designed to succeed. 

We concentrate on gameplay, user experience, and cross-platform capabilities to help your game reach and keep playing across devices.  From concept to post-launch support, TekRevol provides full-service game development that caters to your vision.