Are you a puzzler?
Do you start your day with Wordle or Quordle? Do you do Sudoku? The pandemic saw an explosion of puzzles, especially jigsaw puzzles, as people found themselves stuck at home. Then Wordle, created by a Brooklyn-based software engineer Josh Wardle as a gift to his partner who loved puzzles, was released to the public in October 2021. The game quickly went from 90 players to over 2 million. In January 2022, the New York Times bought the game for an undisclosed seven-figure sum, and as of early 2026, Wordle has an astounding 10 million daily active players! Are you one of them? What’s your starting word?
If you are looking for a new puzzle we have two ideas. One is for you and the other is a gift idea, maybe even a stocking stuffer for those of you who like to shop early.
The New York Times just launched a new puzzle called Crossplay which is a 2-player online game similar to Words with Friends and Scrabble. You can play with friends and family or against the computer. Check it out!
Q-Less is a fun game that can fit in your pocket or purse. You can play alone or with a friend. Created by 82-year-old Nashville-based inventor, Tom Sturdevant, it’s a solitaire crossword game developed as a “labor of love” after his retirement. It viral on Tiktok. The name comes from the absence of the letter “Q” from the dice set. Makes a great stocking stuffer or hostess gift. Wrap it with Rapt!