Wordles creator made a new game, and its way harder

March 11, 2026

wordle on a screen of a phone

Wordle lovers might have a new obsession on their hands.

Josh Wardle — the creator of the popular games now owned by the New York Times — released a new word-game creation. It's called Parseword, and it's far more difficult than Wordle. It's a tricky, cryptic crossword puzzle.

It's...quite difficult, especially for a beginner. It's certainly a game for word nerds. I was an English major, and I write for a living, and my first attempt on Wednesday was a total, frustrating failure.

screenshot from parseword website homepage
Frankly, it's confusing. Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Parseword.

Whereas Wordle is a simple game that is more about the process of elimination than wordplay, Parseword demands a firm grasp on the English language. You click around, using synonyms, pulling parts of words, or playing with definitions to match one word to another.

You can try out Parsword at its site, and there is a helpful tutorial to help folks get the lay of the land. Perhaps it'll become your new favorite game.

parseword starter puzzles
Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Parseword.

The New Yorker wrote about the new game from Wardle, who said his aims for this new creation are modest after the stunning success of Wordle.

"Releasing Parseword is happening more on my own terms, instead of happening to me," he told the magazine.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

Previous Article
Save $110 on Mashables favorite bass-heavy Sony headphones at Amazon
Save $110 on Mashables favorite bass-heavy Sony headphones at Amazon

As of March 11, you can get the Sony ULT Wear headphones for $139.95 on Amazon, down from $249.99. That's a...

Next Article
Chilling Obsession trailer will make you never want to wish for anything ever again
Chilling Obsession trailer will make you never want to wish for anything ever again

Horror movie "Obsession," from Focus Features and Curry Barker, hits theaters May 15.