How to Play Wordle

Last Updated on July 22, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Wordle is a popular word puzzle game where players have six chances to guess a five-letter word. Each guess provides feedback, helping players narrow down the possibilities. Correct letters turn green, wrong ones turn gray, and correct letters in the wrong position turn yellow. Here’s a breakdown of the rules and how to play Wordle:

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What’s in the Box

3 Wordle dry-erase boards
3 privacy shields
1 Secret Word board
3 dry-erase markers
45 green feedback tiles
45 yellow feedback tiles

Objective of Wordle

Guess the Secret Word in as few attempts as possible—each player gets up to six guesses per round. The fewer attempts you need, the fewer points you earn. After everyone has hosted once, the player with the lowest score wins.

What Makes the Wordle Board Game Unique?

Unlike the solo digital version, this is a competitive multiplayer Wordle experience. One player becomes the Wordle Host, while the others race to crack the secret five-letter word using logic, deduction, and process of elimination.

How to Set Up the Wordle Board Game

Each player takes a Wordle board, marker, and a shield to keep guesses hidden.
Choose a player to be the Wordle Host for the first round.
The Host writes each player’s name on the scoreboard section of the Secret Word board.
The Host secretly writes a five-letter word (either from the included word list or their own) and hides it by flipping the board over.

How to Play Wordle: Turn-by-Turn Guide

Step 1: Make a Guess

Each non-Host player writes a five-letter word in the top row of their board.

Step 2: The Host Gives Feedback

The Host checks each guess and places tiles as follows:

Green Tile: Letter is in the word and in the correct position.
Yellow Tile: Letter is in the word but in the wrong position.
No Tile: The letter is not in the word at all.

Step 3: Players Refine Their Guesses

Players cross out letters they now know are not in the word.
Continue guessing—each player gets up to six attempts to guess correctly.
If a player guesses the word, the Host announces it but does not reveal the word until the round ends.

Step 4: End the Round

Once all players have guessed the word or used their six guesses, the Host reveals the Secret Word and records each player’s score:

Scoring in Wordle (Board Game Edition)

Guessed the word? Score 1 point per guess taken. (E.g. Guessed in 3 tries = 3 points)
Didn’t solve the word in 6 tries? Score 7 points for the round.
The Host scores 0 points for that round.

Winning the Game

Play as many rounds as there are players so that each person gets a turn as Host. After all rounds:

Add up each player’s total score.
The player with the fewest points wins!

Valid Words in Wordle

Secret Words and guesses must follow these rules:

Must be five-letter words
No proper nouns, foreign language words, abbreviations, contractions, acronyms, prefixes/suffixes, or hyphenated words
Plural words are not allowed as the Secret Word (but can be guessed)

If a word is challenged and not valid, the guesser must erase it and try again.

Wordle Game Modes & Variations

Timed Mode

Add tension by giving players 60–90 seconds per guess. If they run out of time, they lose that guess.

Fast Mode

Whoever guesses the word first wins the round and scores 1 point. All others score 0.

Team Mode

For 4+ players, divide into teams. Take turns as the Host while teammates collaborate on guesses.

Tips for Choosing a Good Secret Word

Avoid obscure or overly difficult words.
Use words with common vowels and consonants.
For advanced players, try tricky words with double letters or rare letter combinations.
Always double-check spelling!

Guessing Tips and Strategy

Start with a word that includes multiple vowels (like “AUDIO” or “RAISE”).
Use different letters in your second guess to narrow down possibilities.
Don’t forget about double letters—just because one letter is marked doesn’t mean it appears only once!
Keep your board tidy and use the elimination strategy by crossing off eliminated letters.
Totally stuck? You can surrender that round and take the 7-point penalty.

Accessibility & Board Care

Accessibility Tips

Hosts with color blindness can describe which tile (green/yellow) applies, and the guesser places the tile.
Players with color difficulties can underline green letters and circle yellow ones as visual cues.

How to Clean the Game

Use a dry cloth or paper towel to wipe the Wordle boards after each round.
Only use dry-erase markers.
Markers can stain—avoid contact with clothes or furniture.

Final Word on Wordle Rules

This physical Wordle board game brings the popular word puzzle to your tabletop for interactive fun. Stick to these Wordle rules, keep the competition friendly, and challenge your vocabulary across multiple rounds to find out who the true Wordle master is!