A LITTLE MORE PLAY. A LITTLE MORE AHA.Independent puzzles · Free to play

MORE PUZZLES. NO SUBSCRIPTION.

Free bonus puzzles.
No subscription needed.

Six original alternatives to NYT Bonus formats.
Word clues, connections, letter trails & crosswords.
Your next challenge is free.

01 / THE WORD GAME

One Clue Word

Rules & full game ↗

One clever clue. Five letters. Five rounds of “got it!”

One Clue Word

One clue. Five letters. A little aha.

WORD PLAY
Round 1 / 5
Word cluesDaily challenge

Your five-round word challenge is loading.

How to play & color key

Read the clue, type a five-letter English word, then press Enter. Green means the right letter in the right place; gold means a letter elsewhere in the answer; gray means no remaining match. Repeated letters are counted individually. Guess as often as you need, then continue through five rounds.

Daily resets at midnight New York time. Unlimited offers topic and level filters; Practice removes time pressure and starts with the extra clue. Pausing or hints are noted in your score. Progress stays in this browser when storage is available.

Full rules and worked examples

A little word well done.

 
  
Type with your keyboard or tap the letters.Need a little help? →
 
  
 
 
FIND YOUR KIND OF CHALLENGE
A little less rush. A little more play.
All the rules, simply explained ↗
 
 ENDLESS WORD CLUES
One more word?
Five-round packs, topic filters and difficulty choices. Keep your brain in the game.
Play unlimited word clues ↗ ENDLESS CONNECTIONS
Make a connection.
Fresh 9-word boards, category hints and relaxed Practice mode when you want a nudge.
Play unlimited 3×3 puzzles ↗ A SMALL HELPING HAND
Find your aha.
Read clues, make every colored letter count and turn a tricky guess into a useful one.
Read word clue strategies ↗ 
 
 
 
THE SHORT ANSWER
Looking for free alternatives
to NYT Bonus Puzzles?
Choose from six independent games: five clue-led word rounds, three hidden word groups, bending themed letter trails, a compact mini, approachable larger crosswords and themed Crossword Stories. Every game has Daily, Unlimited and Practice modes.
These are our own puzzles, not the official NYT weekly sets or their answers. The regular daily Wordle and Connections have free play; NYT's separate Bonus collection has its own access rules.
Read the free vs. subscription guide ↗
 
Which puzzle experience are you looking for?
Your next puzzleHere at Bonus Puzzles
Five-letter clue gameOne Clue Word
5 rounds · unlimited guesses
Compact word groupingTriple Connections
3 groups · 9 words
Themed word trailsColor Trails
Bending paths & a spanning theme word
Crosswords, three ways5×5 Mini Mystery · 11×11 Easy · 15×15 Stories
Play beyond a daily limitUnlimited mode from our original library
Official NYT weekly releasesNYT access & rules · separate service
 
 
THE COMPLETE PUZZLE DESK
Follow a trail. Cross a clue. Find your kind of aha.
Four more original games, with Daily, Unlimited and Practice ready to play.
Explore all six games ↗
Explore this week's theme selection or find a puzzle to replay.
 
A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT WONDER
Good questions.
A little clarity before your next game.
 
Are these bonus puzzles free?
Yes. All six games and their Daily, Unlimited and Practice modes are free to play without an account or subscription. Unlimited reuses a finite original library; it does not promise an infinite supply of unique authored puzzles.
 
Is One Clue Word the same as Wordle in 1?
One Clue Word is our independent alternative: five rounds, one written clue per five-letter answer and unlimited guesses with position feedback. It uses our own clues and interface. See the game and rule differences.
 
How do I play Connections with a 3×3 board?
In Triple Connections, select three of nine words that share a category, then submit. Find all three groups before four mistakes. Practice mode removes the mistake limit. Our grouping guide explains one-away feedback.
 
Do daily games reset for everyone at the same time?
Our Daily boards use the date in America/New_York, so the same game and date produce the same puzzle for everyone. Your saved progress stays in this browser. Official NYT release times follow their own rules.
 
Can I play NYT's paid Bonus Puzzles here?
No. We provide original alternatives. The official NYT Starter Set is a one-time free sample, and further official releases require eligible access. Our comparison guide explains the distinction and links to the official source.